tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21743336899861535012024-03-12T18:33:54.069-04:00Diva Clique BookclubElla D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-3377365490674455072015-11-30T06:54:00.003-05:002015-11-30T06:54:17.635-05:00Grant Park by Leonard Pitts, Jr.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Grant Park by Leonard Pitts, Jr.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0InKtTc6og/Vlw4fCTlxqI/AAAAAAAAFtk/U-neI1drzBM/s1600/BTB15grantparkekl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0InKtTc6og/Vlw4fCTlxqI/AAAAAAAAFtk/U-neI1drzBM/s400/BTB15grantparkekl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Grant
Park is a page-turning and provocative look at black and white
relations in contemporary America, blending the absurd and the poignant
in a powerfully well-crafted narrative that showcases Pitts's gift for
telling emotionally wrenching stories.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Grant Park
begins in 1968, with Martin Luther King's final days in Memphis. The
story then moves to the eve of the 2008 election, and cuts between the
two eras as it unfolds. Disillusioned columnist Malcolm Toussaint,
fueled by yet another report of unarmed black men killed by police,
hacks into his newspaper's server to post an incendiary column that had
been rejected by his editors. Toussaint then disappears, and his
longtime editor, Bob Carson, is summarily fired within hours of the
column's publication.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">While a furious Carson tries to
find Toussaint—at the same time dealing with the reappearance of a lost
love from his days as a 60s activist—Toussaint is abducted by two
improbable but still-dangerous white supremacists plotting to explode a
bomb at Obama's planned rally in Grant Park. Toussaint and Carson are
forced to remember the choices they made as idealistic, impatient young
men, when both their lives were changed profoundly by their work in the
civil rights movement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Editorial Reviews From the Publisher</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><b>"A novel as significant as it is engrossing." —Booklist, starred review</b><br /><br />"Grant
Park is layered, insightful, and passionate. Pitts's subtly explosive
language grips readers with the delicate subject matter and earnestly
implores them to understand that '[race] has always meant something and
it always will.' The scars will remain, but stunningly powerful
examinations like Grant Park can be the salve that helps heal open
wounds." <b>—Shelf-Awareness, starred review</b><br /><br />"An important
book, one that honestly examines the current, tumultuous racial divide
in our country and demands we not turn away from its harsh realities." <b>—Amy Canfield, Miami Herald</b><br /><br />"[A]
high-stakes, hard-charging political thriller. . . . The sharply etched
characters, careful attention to detail, and rich newspaper lore propel
Pitts's socially relevant novel." <b>—Publishers Weekly</b><br /><br />"Leonard
Pitts has written a taut thriller that weaves together a stark look at
America's tortured racial past with a fast-paced tale of terrorist
conspiracy and love rekindled." <b>—Neil Steinberg, Chicago Sun Times</b><br /><br />"The book is a page-turner, but also one that commands deep reflection on history, racism, and personal choices." <b>—Blanca Torres, The Seattle Times</b><br /><br />"Pitts
masterfully revisits [election night on November 4, 2008] and four
decades of the civil rights struggle to create one of the most
suspenseful and spectacular fictitious moments you'll experience this
fall." <b>—Patrik Henry Bass, Essence</b><br /><br />"Pitts does a skillful
job of building tension in the novel's historical sections as well as on
Election Day. . . . He also does something not every political thriller
writer does: builds believable, complex characters."<b> — Colette Bancroft, Tampa Bay Times</b><br /><br />"And
then there are those thrills—gasping, mouth-gaping page-turners that
author Leonard Pitts Jr. weaves through another realism: truthful,
brutal plot-lines about racial issues of the last five decades, mulling
over exactly how far we’ve really come. That makes this
will-they-live-or-won't-they nail-biter into something that also made me
think, and I absolutely loved it." <b>—Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">GRANT PARK: CHAPTER ONE</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
Martin Luther King stood at the railing, facing west. The moon was a
pale crescent just rising in early twilight to share the sky with a
waning sun. He leaned over, joking with the men in the parking lot
below. A couple of them were wrestling playfully with James Orange, a
good-natured man with a build like a brick wall.<br />
<br />
“Now, you be careful with preachers half your size,” King teased him.<br />
<br />
“Dr. King,” called Orange in a plaintive voice, “it’s two of them and one of me. You should be asking them not to hurt me.”<br />
<br />
“Doc,” someone called out from below, “this is Ben Branch. You remember Ben.”<br />
<br />
“Oh yes,” said King. “He’s my man. How are ya, Ben?”<br />
<br />
Another voice yelled up from below. “Glad to see you, Doc.”<br />
<br />
As Malcolm Toussaint moved toward King, it struck him that the preacher
seemed somehow lighter than he had the last time Malcolm had seen him.
It had been late one night a week before, by the Dumpsters out back of
the Holiday Inn. The man Malcolm met that night had seemed… weighted, so
much so that even Malcolm had found himself concerned and
moved—Malcolm, who had long scorned the great reverend doctor, who had,
in the fashion of other young men hip, impatient, and cruel, mocked him
as “De Lawd.” But that was before Malcolm had met the man. That was
before they had talked. Now he moved toward King, his mind roiling with
the decision that had sprung from that moment, the news he had come to
share. King, he knew, would be pleased. There would be a smile, perhaps a
heavy hand clamping on Malcolm’s shoulder. “Good for you, Brother
Malcolm,” he would say. “Good for you.”<br />
<br />
Malcolm was vaguely amused to find himself here on this balcony,
anticipating this man’s approval. If you had told him just a few days
ago that he would be here, ready to go back to school, ready to embrace
nonviolent protest, he would have laughed. But that, too, was before.
Malcolm meant to raise his hand just then, to catch King’s attention,
but a movement caught his eye. Just a reflected ray of the dying sun,
really, glinting off something in a window across the street. Something
that—he knew this instinctively—should not have been there. He wondered
distractedly what it was.<br />
<br />
King’s voice drew him back. “I want you to sing it like you’ve never
sung it before,” he was calling to someone in the parking lot below.
“Sing it real pretty.” And Malcolm realized he had missed something,
because he had no idea what they were talking about. His attention had
been distracted by… what was that?<br />
<br />
“It’s getting chilly.” Yet another voice calling to King from below. “I think you’ll need a topcoat.”<br />
<br />
“Okay, Jonesy,” King was saying. “You really know how to take good care of me.”<br />
<br />
And here, the moment breaks, time fracturing as time sometimes will into
its component parts, until an event is no longer composed of things
happening in a sequence, but somehow all happens at once. And you can
see and touch and live all the smaller moments inside the right now.
This is how it is for Malcolm Toussaint now. King is laughing. Malcolm
is taking a step toward him. King is straightening. Laughter is echoing
from below. King is reaching into a pocket for his cigarettes. He is
becoming aware of Malcolm on his left. His head is coming around. There
are the bare beginnings of a welcoming smile. And Malcolm knows.
Suddenly knows. And Malcolm is leaping, leaping across space, across
time itself, becoming airborne—he was sure of it, that detail felt
right, even though by this time King is barely six feet away. Malcolm
grabbing two hands full of expensive silk, yanking Martin Luther King
off balance, yanking him down hard in the same instant they all hear the
popping sound like a firecracker, in the same instant he feels the
soft-nosed 30.06 bullet whistle past his cheek like a phantom breath, in
the same instant he falls awkwardly across King’s chest.<br />
<br />
And then…<br />
<br />
And then time seems to reel for a crazy breathless moment, as if
decid¬ing what to do now. The fulcrum of history teetering, the future
hanging, suspended in midair.<br />
Until all at once and with a brutal force, time decides itself and slams back into gear.<br />
<br />
A woman shrieked.<br />
<br />
Someone yelled, “Somebody is shooting!”<br />
<br />
Someone yelled, “Doc, are you OK?”<br />
<br />
Someone yelled, “Stay down!”<br />
<br />
Malcolm’s breath was ragged in his own ears. His heart hammered like
drums. Then from beneath him, he heard a familiar baritone voice say
calmly, very calmly, but yet, with a touch of breathless wonder. “Oh my
God. Was that a gunshot?”<br />
<br />
Their eyes met. Malcolm didn’t speak. Couldn’t speak. “Brother Malcolm,”
said Martin Luther King, his voice still suffused with wonder and yet,
also, an almost unnatural calm, “I think you just saved my life.”<br />
<br />
Malcolm was overwhelmed by the thereness of the man. He was not myth and
mist and history. He was not a posterboard image on a wall behind a
child dutifully reciting in a child’s thin, sweet tenor, “I have a dream
today.” No, he was there, beneath 20-year-old Malcolm Toussaint, who
had fallen crosswise on top of him. Malcolm could feel the weight and
heft of him, the fall and rise of his chest. He could see his very
pores, could smell the tobacco on his breath, the Aramis on his collar.
Martin Luther King was there, still alive, beneath him. Malcolm opened
his mouth to speak.<br />
<br />
And then, he awoke.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />
( Continued... )<br />
<br />
© 2015 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the
author, Leonard Pitts Jr. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the
author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional
purposes only.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Purchase Grant Park by Leonard Pitts, Jr.</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grant-Park-Leonard-Pitts-Jr/dp/1932841911" target="_blank">Amazon: http://amzn.com/1932841911 </a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grant-park-leonard-pitts-jr/1121340756?ean=9781932841916" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QAHE1E</a><br />
<a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Grant_Park.html?id=sjD5rQEACAAJ" target="_blank">GoogleBooks: http://bit.ly/1VY3qzr</a><br />
IndieBound: <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781932841916">http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781932841916</a><br />
Agate Publishing: <a href="http://www.agatepublishing.com/titles/grant-park">http://www.agatepublishing.com/titles/grant-park</a><br />
Books a Million: <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781932841916">http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781932841916</a> <br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span><br />Leonard Pitts, Jr.</b>
is a nationally syndicated columnist for the Miami Herald and winner of
the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, in addition to many other
awards. He is also the author of the novels Freeman (Agate Bolden, 2012)
and Before I Forget (Agate Bolden, 2009); the collection Forward From
this Moment: Selected Columns, 1994-2009, Daily Triumphs, Tragedies, and
Curiosities (Agate Bolden, 2009); and Becoming Dad: Black Men and the
Journey to Fatherhood (Agate Bolden, 2006). Born and raised in Southern
California, Pitts now lives in suburban Washington, D.C., with his wife
and children.</span><br />
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<br />Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-65321327347899352672014-06-26T11:09:00.002-04:002014-06-26T11:09:49.094-04:00And Then There Were None by Clay Thomas William<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 28px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>And Then There Were None </strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><strong>by Clay Thomas William<br /></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><strong><img alt="" height="499" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/ANDTHENWITHNEWWORDS.jpg" width="387" /></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Imagine
being so full of yourself, that you ignore the obvious. You’re so busy
doing you that you fail to see what’s right under your nose. Octavia’s
selfish destructive behavior that was full of lies and deceit caused her
life to spiral out of control until she crashed and burned costing her
everything. She gambled with love and lost totally obliterating her life
as she knew it. Octavia thought she had it all; beauty, two loves, and
a promising career. And in the end she ends up with nothing. A tale of
a rude awakening to one day be forced to realize life doesn’t revolve
around her. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Brief Excerpt: And Then There Were None by Clay Thomas William</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">We
walked a slow stroll like we were taking a walk to death row still no
words were spoken from the arrival gate to customs. As we approached the
luggage area, we let go of each other’s hand and I lost sight of him in
the endless sea of on looker's and right into the waiting arms of my
husband. The unhappiness I felt on the flight home had to be masked with
a fake smile as I kissed him hello. He hugged me so tight I nearly lost
my breath. There I was wrapped in Calvin's arms after almost a week
apart still searching for Lynn in the crowd.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Purchase from Amazon </span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6">http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6</a></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Excerpt: And Then There Were None </strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">I
need to be in church, maybe I can get some clarity. I haven't been to
church since our Grandmother passed away; I just couldn't find my way
here. We grew up in the church and its funny, the only time I come to
church now is when I have a problem. I was a pure demon for the past two
years and now I need Jesus. Good thing God is a forgiving God.<br />
<br />
Sitting in church looking for answers to my secret problem; it seemed
as if Pastor Clark was in my head. God sees all, and what’s done in the
dark always comes to light.<br />
<br />
Who told him, is God sending me a personal sermon?<br />
<br />
As I sat there waddling in my own little sea of deceit, Yvette
franticly patted my leg and pointed across the church. I thought for a
minute as Jesus appeared to escort my sinning behind directly to the
devil in a brimstone laced chariot.<br />
<br />
“What,” I whispered.<br />
<br />
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Sister Johnson schooled us like she did when we were
ten. She turned all the way around with her big yellow hat with a
feather in it; rolled her big eyes with her inch long fake lashes at us,
then turned back around and faced Pastor Clark.<br />
<br />
Yvette put one finger up in a wait one minute position, reached in her
Fendi bag and pulled out a pen and sticky note pad just like she did
when we were ten, and began to write and handed me the note. The guy in
the yellow shirt and brown suit, that’s Jason.<br />
<br />
I shrugged my shoulders as if to say who the heck is Jason, Yvette
snatched the note from my hands balled it up and proceeded to write
another. She held the note in her two hands turned it to me; the note
said JASON HILL FROM HIGH SCHOOL.... in all capital letters<br />
<br />
“Oh! I mouthed silently<br />
<br />
Yvette shook her head up and down balled up the note and let out a frustrated growl and began to write again.<br />
<br />
“Octavia, you don’t remember him, she wrote.<br />
<br />
I took another look at him, took her pen and sticky note and wrote back.<br />
<br />
NO! I don’t. Why should I remember him, did I date him?<br />
<br />
No stupid, I did. She wrote back.<br />
<br />
Yvette started writing again. I looked away from the note and across
the sea of big hats and prayer clothes to the good looking brother in
the brown suit. I looked back at Yvette with an agreeing nod and
whispered a sarcastic, “And?”<br />
<br />
At this point I have had quite enough of Yvette’s little guessing game and snatched her pen and sticky note pad and wrote.<br />
<br />
Get to the point girl, cause you, Sister Johnson and that dude in the
brown suit are working my last nerve yawl gonna make me lose my religion
up in here.<br />
<br />
Remember that incident in high school and he gave me four hundred and fifty dollars, and you and me went shopping.<br />
<br />
I wrote back. Say word?<br />
<br />
I’m going to tell him the truth and apologize, the note said.<br />
<br />
My eyes widened as I snapped my head back in Yvette’s direction.<br />
<br />
“WHAT,” I said out loud.<br />
<br />
Yvette Shhhhed me and nodded her head yes. I took her paper and began
to write. “Are you nuts? He probably doesn't remember it or you.<br />
<br />
She wrote back I’m gonna do it anyway, to clear my conscience.<br />
<br />
I wrote, are you serious? For ten years you've had a case of the “I
don’t give a crap” and your conscience hasn't bugged you in all this
time. All of a sudden you see him and you’ve got a case of morals.
Girrrrrl, please.<br />
<br />
She wrote, just something I have to do; the truth shall set you free.<br />
<br />
I wrote, well gotta do what you gotta do.<br />
<br />
I began to think God touched this girl and urged her to clean her soul
with the whole truth shall set you free thing. The truth can get you a
black eye, I wanted to talk her out of it but she seemed to be at peace
with her decision so I kept any further comments to myself.<br />
<br />
Yvette made a beeline across the Church to confess to Jason.<br />
<br />
I tried to read the look on Jason’s face as his expression changed from
“Hey, it sure is nice to see you, to what the heck did this chick just
say to me.”<br />
<br />
I watched them thinking at this moment how much I admired Yvette and
respected her for doing what she was doing and knowing that was
something I could never do. Admit I lied, never!<br />
<br />
“Well come on then she said in her usual playful manner, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest,” she added.<br />
<br />
“Yvette you told him?”<br />
<br />
“Yup.”<br />
<br />
“Well, what did he say?”<br />
<br />
“He said he can’t believe I thought to do this after all this time and
he forgives me and appreciates my honest. Then he asked for his four
hundred and fifty dollars back.<br />
<br />
“You gonna give it to him I asked.”<br />
<br />
“I said I felt better, not stupid.”<br />
<br />
We laughed at the same time the way twins freakishly do.<br />
<br />
NOT.<br />
<br />
I guess confession is good for the soul.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
( Continued... )<br />
<br />
© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of
the author, Clay Thomas William. Do not reproduce, copy or use without
the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious
offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a
link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sneak
peek.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 16px;">Purchase from the Amazon page:</span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6">http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6</a></span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Intimate Conversation with Clay Thomas Williams </strong></span></span></div>
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<img alt="" height="413" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/ClayThomasWilliamd.jpg" width="391" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Clay Thomas Williams</strong>
is a freelancer, writer and copy editor for an exciting nationwide
informative motorcycle magazine; IRIDE magazine based out of North
Carolina. She is member of the writer’s café.org and premier Author with
Upnext Media Group.<br />
<br />
Clay, whose government name is actually Nat’e Elliott, talents aren’t
limited to novels and print magazines but music as well. She has
written tunes that are in ASCAP’s database.<br />
<br />
Clay Thomas Williams lives by the philosophy that every bit of fiction
has a hint of the truth, and life experiences good or bad or indifferent
create and shape the beautiful, brilliant black woman she is. She
resides in North Carolina with her family.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?</strong><br />
Well, it was shortly after I had a car accident; I broke both of my
ankles and was stuck in a wheel chair for several months. I had a lot of
idle time on my hands. I started thinking about my recent divorce as a
whole and keyed in on the most critical points. I began to let my
imagination run wild, and that’s when “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6">And Then There Were None</a>” was born.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Does your upbringing, prior relationships or life experiences inspire your writing?</strong><br />
Well, a little, it had to. I feel like every bit of fiction has a hint
of the truth. So yes, some of the scenarios in my books are taken from
real life experiences. The people who walked with me at the time know
what part is fiction is and what is not.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven?</strong><br />
Ideas generally come from real life experience and an over active imagination. They are pretty much plot and character driven.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you
consider your book? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook
and Kindle?</strong><br />
This novel is called “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Were-None-ebook/dp/B00JKUM2V6">And Then There Were None</a>,”
it is my first published novel. It falls in the genre of urban
fiction. It is currently available on Kindle, Nook, Kobi, Sony reader,
Smashwords.com and several other electronic devices. It is also
available in paperback.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?</strong><br />
The main character The Protagonist in this novel is Octavia, a bored
married young woman who finds excitement with an ex lover. She loses
sight of her marriage and becomes enthralled with this man. Octavia
learns she is pregnant and the ex has nothing to do with her. Octavia
decides to try and make her marriage work and let her husband believe
the baby is his. However, she did too much damage to her marriage for
her husband to even believe that a maybe baby could fix it.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?</strong><br />
Yes I learned a lot about myself. There is a lot of Octavia in me. I
also discovered that my imagination makes me blush at times.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career?</strong><br />
What defines success for me? Well, personally for me, it was the day my
first novel was published. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. I
felt like wow, I made it. It’s also a pretty large grey area because
that answer can be altered every day for me with every new milestone and
accomplishment.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What are your expectations for this book? What would you like for readers to do after reading this book? </strong><br />
I’d like to see my book in everyone’s home; I would like to sit next to
people on the train reading my book. While walking through the
airport; I’d love to see awaiting passengers reading my book. I would
like it to be not only a local success but nationally and worldwide as
well. Additionally, I would love for this book to be the springboard
that opens it up to bigger and better things. Ultimately, with the end
result, I would like my novel to be made into a movie or TV series.<br />
<br />
What would I like readers to do after reading my books? I’d like them
to tell a friend to tell a friend to tell two more friends and so on.<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?</strong><br />
My readers can discover more about me and my books by going on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Upnext-Media-Group/641146999295337">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Upnext-Media-Group/641146999295337</a>.<br />
<br />
I would also give a heartfelt thank you to everyone in advance for their support. Follow Nat’e Elliott on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nate.elliott.77">https://www.facebook.com/nate.elliott.77</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">And Then There Were None by Clay Thomas William</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Genre: Urban Fiction; Paperback Purchase: <a href="http://amzn.com/B00JKUM2V6">http://amzn.com/B00JKUM2V6</a></span></span><br />
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-31691757225136590222014-06-26T11:07:00.004-04:002014-06-26T11:08:24.244-04:00The Last Seer (Book III in the Order of the Seers Trilogy)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSmQN9_Sae8/U6w2boOgykI/AAAAAAAAEwo/BRjUTCbeHag/s1600/orderseerrrtgg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PSmQN9_Sae8/U6w2boOgykI/AAAAAAAAEwo/BRjUTCbeHag/s1600/orderseerrrtgg.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2434">You should really try <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="nofollow" shape="rect">#SyFy</a></b><b>!</b> I so love the <b>ORDER OF THE SEERS</b> trilogy by<b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2436"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2435" rel="nofollow" shape="rect"> Cerece Rennie Murphy</a></b>. The final installment, <b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2424">The Last Seers</b>, is available for orders on Amazon now. This is a must read! Be adventurous:
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2431"> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Wu6R7jfveiM0l_bWH-0jqivJ1BBuQaKZH0VRBfle_ruYO9Tfy98TuQxRzXCpzMipRk5jj92pkOsMD3o6SiEiFvaFwUAxmFPO1b66noSbFGIkp6sIhHYusoQaW5i61BquY_YlcGBG9eqC-HMxNZK0fQioXmtAYkgPDIWqUzYPSdWiOJNcAN_XGrr4VBXnvMfsKdm6145w9lCnZJv_pJLWM5jkQDXJb1xf_H3yy6prJDc=&c=lcdIacfrVILZjCD5_s1twk8uNEQQXcDzj5iHRINS04sA3dNwBvTTqg==&ch=zLb1-4-d6iNKrlwu2rCTLhdKb6Tu4EcCUEApwAlPrBQ9ewzeyylkUQ==" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2433" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Order-Seers-Last-Seer-Trilogy/dp/0985621036</a> </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2438"><br /><br /><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2437">Go here to read an excerpt from The Order of the Seers
and to get copies: </b></span><a href="http://www.cerecerenniemurphy.com/index.php#%21order-of-the-seers/cgub" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2439" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.cerecerenniemurphy.com/index.php#!order-of-the-seers/cgub </a><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2440"><b></b></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1403795136946_2440"><b><br />Having unleashed a new evil into the world, the Seers face the ultimate challenge in The Last Seer, the third and final book in the Order of the Seers trilogy. <br /><br />The Seers</b> face their greatest challenge in the final chapter of the <b>Order of the Seers</b></span>
trilogy... When the fall of one nemesis unleashes an even greater
danger into the world, Lilli, Joel and the Lost Seers must stand against
a new enemy with the means and the will to destroy all of mankind,
starting with those they hold most dear. <br />
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As
the Seers mobilize to confront this new evil, the Guild tries
desperately to uphold the crumbling world order on which it depends.
When their attempts to manage the crisis fail, the members of the Guild
are forced to place themselves at the mercy of an unlikely ally. But the
Guild isn't the only one interested in maintaining control. An
agreement made in secret threatens to destroy any hope of a peaceful
alliance before it can be made and as the betrayals unfold, no one is
safe against a power that will stop at nothing to get what it wants. </div>
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To
defeat this threat and ensure the survival of the human race, the Seers
must push the boundaries of their abilities beyond any limits they have
known and risk crossing the line between life and death. How far would
you go to protect what matters most?</div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>More Than Us - Chapter 5 Teaser</b></span><br />
“There’s no guarantee that you can defeat these things,” Hasaam said thoughtfully. “Lilli may have just gotten lucky. Remember, Alessandra was able to stop that man’s heart with only her thoughts in Italy. But, just like Lilli, she doesn’t know how she did it and it hasn’t happened again. There is still so much we don’t understand about how your powers grow and manifest. We haven’t had the time to study what this means. Please, before you commit yourself to anything, we need more time to understand what happened with Lilli.”<br />
<br />
All eyes turned to Lilli then, waiting for a contradiction she could not give.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Negotiations - Chapter 6 Teaser</b></span><br />
“Don’t you ever say his name again! Not to me. I watched you take him away after you murder my mother, right in front of me. You have no idea who he was. So don’t attempt to tell me what he would have done, when you are the reason he's dead.”<br />
<br />
Joel had never felt so out of control of his power in his life, not even when he didn’t know how it worked. At least then, whatever he might have done would have been an accident. If he acted now, on the pure hatred in his thoughts, if he killed each of them slowly like he wanted to, it would have been entirely on purpose.<br />
<br />
He could feel the heat of his power rippling through his body so strongly it made his legs tremble. Every ability he had to shape, gather and break the elements around him was focused, ready to protect and defend him from the source of his rage. All he had to do was extend his hand to set his thoughts in motion. <br />
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<br />
Order of the Seers (Book 1 - Order of the Seers Trilogy) by Cerece Rennie Murphy <br />
What would you do if you held infinite power in the palm of your hand? <br />
<br />
Part One of the thrilling Order of the Seers trilogy poses this question within a story that fuses action, mystery, romance, and adventure in a science fiction novel that keeps you at the edge of your seat. <br />
<br />
Captured and enslaved for their extraordinary gift, a group of individuals, known as Seers, are forced to serve a ruthless world organization that uses the power of the Seers to exploit the ultimate advantage: knowing the future. <br />
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While a brother and his Seer sister fight to evade the group that hunts them, an unlikely captured Seer, plots his escape from within the organization and sets off a chain of events that will change the world.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Order of the Seers by Cerece Rennie Murphy</b></span><br />
Link: http://amzn.com/0985621001<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Cerece-Rennie-Murphy/e/B008G6XXBS/<br />
http://www.amazon.com/Order-Seers-Cerece-Rennie-Murphy/dp/0985621001<br />
<br />
<br />Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-84053938359557218972014-06-26T11:03:00.000-04:002014-06-26T11:03:01.964-04:00Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous Reflections of a Baby Boomer by Joyce Nanette Johnson <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: #cc00cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 28px;"><strong>Over Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Reflections of a Baby Boomer</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">by Joyce Nanette Johnson<br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Over Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer </strong>
laughs out loud at the present and then takes you on a sentimental
visit to the past examining how the same situation means different
results for Boomers today. "Over Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous:
Reflections of a Baby Boomer" is a shout out to the past, examination
of the present, and a celebration of life's poignant but hysterical
journey.<br />
<br />
"Boomers have always been vocal, boisterous, have a history of
implementing social and political change and can still sway advertisers
with our discretionary income, if we have any money left at the end of
the month. Through humor and poignancy, my new book will have fellow
Baby Boomers laughing at the past and present. It's important for us to
have a light-hearted view on life.<br />
<br />
My drugs cupboard is full to the brim with pills of all sizes and
colors (if you were to see it you'd think I was making money from it)
and I can't exert too much energy without rolling on the floor with a
writhing Charlie horse - but this is a small price to pay for the lives
we Boomers have lived. My book celebrates all that is great about being
over fifty - even if I can't really get my eyes to focus properly on the
pages!" Johnson said.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Over Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer</strong> invites you along for the comical ride that is accompanied with hearty, out loud in your face laughter. <br />
<br />
Since its release, the book has garnered a string of rave reviews. For
example, one reader commented, "Over 50 Ain't Always Fabulous is a great
read, packed full with everyday situations that will appeal to everyone
whether your over 50 or not. The author doesn't just dispel the
commercial myths of women over 50 , but also engages the reader with
jokes of the trials and tribulations most of us have experienced or will
experience after passing the big five 0."</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><a href="http://amzn.com/148417626X">Purchase Over 50 Ain't Always Fabulous-Reflections of a Baby Boomer</a><br />
by Joyce Nanette Johnson<br />
Link: <a href="http://amzn.com/148417626X">http://amzn.com/148417626X</a></strong></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc00cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong><span style="font-size: 24px;">Excerpt Opening: Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous</span></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><br />
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<br />
I have a few words to say, "Fifty ain't always fabulous". There I've
said it. I've said it and you know what? I'm glad I said it. You
probably want to say it too, but you're scared to say it.<br />
<br />
Scared of the rhetoric and gasps of dis-belief that will come from
those so-called cougars that you see in a magazine that are artfully
draped over a cliff, as the Greek Isles dashes waves of glorious
blue-green water over her. Then there is always a man staring at her
with obsessed, hooded eyes.<br />
<br />
You're scared that your world does not measure up to the professionally
made-up actors on TV. These women are shouting out a challenge to you
and I suspect you think you can't live up to the hype. However, what
they're asking us to believe is "the hype".<br />
<br />
My back would laugh at me and taunt me, "Go on and try it you old fool
and watch what I do to you!" My upper and lower torso would be plotting
their sadistic revenge if I ever thought I could lounge against hard
rock. I would end up dying on that rock as the water gurgled in my lungs
because I couldn't get up.<br />
<br />
Where is this sexy, vibrant older woman that we see on the TV? She
does not live in my house nor take up residence in my mirrors. Ladies,
if you were not that hot looking when you were young do not believe the
hype that you will turn into this wild, unleashed, beautifully sculpted
cougar. At times I look like an old toothless, clawless, scruffy house
cat only waiting for a bowl of warm milk for pure contentment.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Clothes Today and Then</span></strong><br />
I remember I used to like everything tight. I liked tight jeans that
showed off my perfectly rounded butt. My butt at this point does not
need to be showed off; it is the most visible part of my body. It will
take over any space without being invited. Even when I am staring
straight ahead looking at you, my butt can be seen poking from around
the back. It intrudes its way into the conversation. It is a rude,
obnoxious appendage that wants to flaunt its appearance at any
occasion. It is almost another person complete with its own personal 5
o'clock shadow and zip code. Neither diets, nor exercise can undo the
big booty.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Dancing</span></strong><br />
I have observed some of the people in the clubs dancing today. I could
not be a "Hoochie Mama Dancer" of today. I don't think I could "Drop it
Like It's Hot". If I drop it, it will still be there until the
paramedics come to pick me and "it" off the floor. Sexual contortions
and gyrations would only cause a late run to the drug store for a new
heat pack. My idea of going low to the floor is to point my head down
and bob it in unison to the music.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Mother-Daughter Relationships</span></strong><br />
When did I become the caregiver of my mother? Now in my 50's the music
has switched to a new tempo for both of us. In the beginning it was
she who led and it was me who followed. As the last mournful sound is
played the positions are switched. I was silently elected to a position
that I never envisioned would come. I cannot remember the exact day
that the exchange took place and our parallel worlds tumbled into a
vortex and intermixed into and we have now evolved into almost a new
species.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Exercise</span></strong><br />
I will not go to a gym, because I do not want to go to jail for
assaulting a youngster with a perfect uplifted body in every area and
strangling her after I hear for the hundredth time in an exasperated
tone " Now, really now. Is that the best we can do?" These stressful
reproachful words are muttered after I can't keep up in Zumba class or
had gotten entangled in the sports equipment and had to be helped down.<br />
<br />
<br />
( Continued... )<br />
<br />
© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of
the author, Joyce Nanette Johnson. Do not reproduce, copy or use
without the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a
serious offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only.
Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like
this sneak peek.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Calling St. Petersburg her adopted home having lived here for two decades, <strong>Joyce Nanette Johnson </strong>was
born and raised in the central shore area of New Jersey where she
remembers looking forward to essay question tests throughout school.
"Even if I didn't know what the test was about, all I needed were three
key ideas about the subject and I'd make it happen," Johnson said.<br />
<br />
The night Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was slain, Johnson sat down and
put pen to paper and came up with a free verse poem written from her
heart. She sent a copy to the local newspaper and one to Dr. King's
wife, Coretta Scott King. Not only did the newspaper print the poem, but
she received a thank you card from Mrs. King.<br />
<br />
It was then that Johnson began to focus on developing her
correspondence skills. The free verse poem was her first and last, but
has continued to follow her dream of being a writer. Now a veteran
writer with years of experience, her work is showcased between the pages
of various newspapers, periodicals and magazines. Her writing can be
seen in the St. Petersburg Times, Citilife Magazine, St. Pete Bulletin,
Essence Magazine, and The Weekly Challenger.<br />
<br />
<strong>Joyce Nanette Johnson</strong> is the owner of Joydee
Productions, which developed and produced websites for community
organizations and other public relations projects. Joyce Nanette
Johnson was a finalist in 2010 and 2011 Tampa Bay Chapter of the
National Association of Black Journalists Awards. Ms. Johnson was also
the recipient of the 2011 Women in Communications Award presented by the
Gathering of Women, Inc. St. Petersburg, FL.<br />
<br />
<strong>Johnson is a motivational speaker and is available for
workshops or conferences. For more information, please contact her via
email at: jjohnson433@tampabay.rr.com<br />
<br />
<br />
BPM: What is your favorite positive saying?</strong><br />
My favorite positive saying or daily mantra is "Be About Your
Business." Now ladies I'm not talking about that gossipy, nosey being
in other people's business like your neighbors, family members, or
gossiping about what's going on in the church with Sister Sneaky and
Brother Up to No Good. Which is a total waste of valuable time that
could be invested in "self" I'm talking about our "personal business."
The business that God and the fates have destined for us to fulfill. As
women we have that nurturing spirit and we should be active and have a
vested interest in our homes, our children, our mates, our community and
the world at large.<br />
<br />
But we need to have that purpose for which we were created to be
nurtured also. We should carve a few precious moments out of our daily
hectic lives for own personal dreams or destiny. My business is
writing. I have often told my daughter Tracy when I am most tired and
feel like quitting that if I don't write, then the words will not get
written. If you don't pick up that brush no colors will bloom on your
canvas. If you do not take the initial baby steps to start that
business you will not become a successful entrepreneur.<br />
<br />
But we as women pile more and more on our shoulders balancing the
world's problems, while our own dreams and desires are shoved to the
bottom of the pile like dirty laundry. Once you discover and admit to
yourself that this is your dream. You have to "Be about Your Business",
make time for it, and treat it like a jealous lover. Every day the
enemy devises more ways for me to stray from the path. Sometimes it can
come disguised as family issues, at others times it rears its head as a
day of hell with the boss from hell on the job, or just being depressed
or tired. I have to remind myself every day to "Be about My Business"</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>BPM: What drove you to sit down and actually write the book?</strong><br />
The media drove me to do this. As a baby-boomer I laughed at all of the
commercials and media hype that said all of us were sexy, exciting,
vibrant, and fun. When in reality I am not a sexy cougar that can drop
it like it's hot. I'm more like a slow simmering chili, still hot but
not bubbling. Commercials show us gleefully hiking down some exotic
trail when in reality I am limping down the pathway plagued by arthritis
and plantar fasciitis and the glee comes with the relief of mentholated
ointment. I wanted to show the reality of women aging while reflecting a
humorous bent to the bumpy ride.<br />
<br />
I also wanted to share some baby-boomer type passages in life such as
discos, baptismal marijuana smoking, and the joy that existed in sheer
sexual abandonment with the advent of the pill and before diseases were
racking up death fatalities. I wanted those in baby-boomer years to
smile and have out loud belly laughs while their younger counterparts
can get an actual picture of back in the day and also to let them know
some of the things in store for them as their minds and bodies age. As
my mom says sarcastically you got to get old to experience some of this
good stuff. Keep on living you'll see.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?</strong><br />
Yes, all of my experiences have come together in this book. In the
book I talk about what I am experiencing now and then I have a "Back in
the Day" section for each chapter. For example I have a chapter on
Mother-Daughter relationships. I compare how the roles have been
exchanged, I am now the leader and she is the follower. I have taken on
the role of caregiver, supporter, and staunch ally. I then go back in
the day to relate to a school shopping spree that any daughter can
relate to.<br />
<br />
My experiences that I shared with my best friend as a little girl,
whispering secrets and giggling to the best friends of today who area
wisecracking, flawed to perfection, and who will sit quietly as I twist
and turn with some dire depression and is there is say after my
tirade, "Snap out of it" about . The book is a comedic journey of all
of the experiences throughout the different stages of my life.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Introduce as to your current work, what genre do you consider your book?</strong><br />
Funny, Funnier, Funniest and served with a slice of satire. The book
is humorously written while taking a swipe at the hypocrisy of the
media. I hope to share the fact that though we are Baby Boomers we are
still laughing. I want people to laugh out loud at a passage that
reminds them of their Mother or an Aunt. I want people to smile as they
remember that school girl friend from long, forgotten years ago.<br />
<br />
And I want people to remember to chuckle as they laugh at themselves as
they see themselves and others mirrored in the pages of the book. Aging
ain't perfect, but at the moment it's the only game in town. Laugh,
hold on tight and enjoy the ride.<br />
<br />
The book takes you on a hysterical journey that explores how Baby
boomers are dealing with some of the same issues they were dealing with
in the past, but with a slightly different twist. It explores the
sexuality of the Boomer, which though similar it is nothing like the
"drop it like it's hot" acrobatics of today.<br />
<br />
Another chapter is the Yin and Yang of Life: The biological changes of
your period and Menopause. Here ladies I have not found either condition
to be the wonderful life changing event they are heralded to be. It
looks at clothes today and then and what it represented at the time.
Because the chapters are each divided into the now and back in the day
it makes for fun stories about the difference in such subjects as
exercise, clothes today and yesterday, and even the traditional family
holiday is revisited.<br />
<br />
Over Fifty Ain't Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer is a
shout out to the past, examination of the present, and a celebration of
life's poignant but hysterical journey<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What is the writer's responsibility to the reader?</strong><br />
To create a believable story that entertains, enlightens and takes the
reader on a personal journey along with you. To never take my readers
for granted.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What would you like the readers to take away from your writing?</strong><br />
For the Baby Boomers I want them to see themselves in the past and now
in the present and laugh out loud. I want them to celebrate their
journey with a smile and an "Oh Well" and satisfied sigh. I want them
to know that the advertising is hype and it's okay to ache and not be a
slick cougar, you're okay. You did not miss the boat.<br />
<br />
For the younger ones I want them to see and experience some of the
world of the Boomers. I want them to feel our spirit, our passion, and
the innovation that we brought into the world. I want them to join in
the laughter when they read the words and it reminds them of their
mothers, aunt, and grandmothers. I want them to know that when they
arrive at this stage of life it's gonna be alight if you just keep your
perspective and find the humor in the progression.<br />
<br />
<strong>Website: www.JoyceNanetteJohnson.com<br />
Facebook: www.facebook.com\joyce.n.johnson.31</strong></span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="color: #cc00cc;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span>Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer<br />
Whimsical & Poignant New Book<br />
Examines ‘Real’ Lives of Baby Boomers</span></span></span></span><br />
</h1>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><em><a href="http://www.pieceofcakepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Cover31.png"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8900" height="253" src="http://www.pieceofcakepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Cover31.png" style="border: 0px grey solid; float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px;" title="Cover3" width="174" /></span></a><span style="color: black;">Written
by Joyce Nanette Johnson, ‘Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous:
Reflections of a Baby Boomer’ offers Baby Boomers a side-splitting yet
frankly-honest look back at their generation’s tumultuous lives. While
their knees may now be artificial and their memories somewhat fading,
Johnson’s humorous retrospective will have any Baby Boomer laughing in
pride at their past and present.</span></em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">While
the media portray Baby Boomers as sexy beacons of fashion and energetic
go-getters, Florida’s Joyce Nanette Johnson knows a very different
reality. With most joints aching and a simple bath requiring the
contortionist skills of a circus performer, Johnson joins millions of
others in the belief that being over fifty isn’t always fabulous.<br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Not
one to let age and its limitations define her, Johnson has compiled a
ground-breaking new book that celebrates that past and present of the
Baby Boomer generation in a way that will even force laughter out of
those refusing to grow old with grace.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer</b></span><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">A
humorous look at the real lives of Boomers, vs. the media’s unrealistic
view of some sexy, energized person that only exists in some marketing
mavens’ mind. There are many of these advertising darlings out there,
but Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous isn’t aimed at those Boomers, but
it is for those who have survived the scrapes and bumps of life, but we
are not as shiny or energetic as some of our touted counterparts.<br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">“Over
Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous” laughs out loud at the present and then
takes you on a sentimental visit to the past examining how the same
situation means different results for Boomers today. Over Fifty Ain’t
Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby Boomer is a shout out to the
past, examination of the present , and a celebration of life’s poignant
but hysterical journey.<br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">The author isn’t afraid to admit that her generation has always made their presence known.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">“We
are now and have always been vocal, boisterous, have a history of
implementing social and political change and can still sway advertisers
with our discretionary income, if we have any money left at the end of
the month. Through humor and poignancy, my new book will have fellow
Baby Boomers laughing at the past and present,” says Johnson.<br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Continuing,
“It’s important for us to have a light-hearted view on life. My drugs
cupboard is full to the brim with pills of all sizes and colors (if you
were to see it you’d think I was making money from it) and I can’t exert
too much energy without rolling on the floor with a writhing Charlie
horse – but this is a small price to pay for the lives we Boomers have
lived. My book celebrates all that is great about being over fifty –
even if I can’t really get my eyes to focus properly on the pages!”<br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Since
its release, the book has garnered a string of rave reviews. For
example, one reader commented, “Over 50 Ain’t Always Fabulous is a great
read, packed full with everyday situations that will appeal to everyone
whether your over 50 or not. The author doesn’t just dispel the
commercial myths of women over 50 , but also engages the reader with
jokes of the trials and tribulations most of us have experienced or will
experience after passing the big five 0.”</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">Interested
parties are urged to snap up this perfect gift opportunity as soon as
possible. ‘Over Fifty Ain’t Always Fabulous: Reflections of a Baby
Boomer’ is available now: </span><a href="http://www.createspace.com/4248664"><span style="color: black;">www.createspace.com/4248664</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>About the Author:</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Joyce
Nanette Johnson is a free-lanced writer based in St. Petersburg, FL.
The Long Branch, NJ transplant has been a contributing writer for The
St. Petersburg Times (Tampabay Times), St. Pete Bulletin, columnist for
Citilife Magazine and a correspondent for the Weekly Challenger
Newspaper. She is the owner of Joydee Productions, which originally
developed and produced several websites for community organizations for
several years, and other public relations projects. Joyce Nanette
Johnson was a finalist in 2010 and 2011 Tampabay Chapter of the National
Association of Black Journalists awards. Ms. Johnson was the recipient
of the 2011 Women in Communications Award presented by the Gathering of
Women, Inc.</span></span></span><br />
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-68006213300221462492014-06-26T10:57:00.000-04:002014-06-26T11:01:04.645-04:00The Last King by A. Yamina Collins <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sh9M7zyGOiM/U6w0q0gJpII/AAAAAAAAEwc/05CUb2jj_d8/s1600/laskingsdf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sh9M7zyGOiM/U6w0q0gJpII/AAAAAAAAEwc/05CUb2jj_d8/s1600/laskingsdf.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last King, Book I by A. Yamina Collins is an 11-part serial novel.
A modern-day fantasy romance about a young woman innocently caught in a war
between two age-old nemesis: God, and immortal beings whose ancestors ate from
the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.</b></span>
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Twenty-eight year <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Emmy Hughes</b> has
never quite fit in---she's six feet tall, dark-skinned, and daydreams of being
Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. But when she is badly injured in a car
accident that kills her mother, Emmy does not dream of fantastical worlds
anymore---she just wants her shattered life to be normal again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Unfortunately, normalcy is the
last thing in store for her once she meets Lake George's newest arrival, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dr. Gilead Knightly</b>. Granted
immortality from a line of people whose Great Ancestor marched into the Garden
of Eden and ate from the Tree of Life, Gilead has been alive for centuries and
has met everyone from Nubian kings to Napoleon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">But Gilead and his eccentric
family are also hunted beings because God considers the Edenites' possession of
immortality to be theft. And for thousands of years He has dealt with their
transgression by sending each of them a "<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Glitch</b>" ---an unsuspecting human meant to retrieve this stolen
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">When Emmy discovers that she is
Gilead's Glitch, she is not only thrown into a world of immortals who eat bone
marrow, panthers who read minds, and a family whose blood is made of pulsing
gold, but she finds herself the target of Gilead's vengeance: he must get rid
of her before she gets rid of him.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">Easier said than done. Because Glitches are not
only an Edenite's greatest threat---they're also their greatest love.</span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last King: Book I,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Episode #</b>1
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last King: Book I,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Episode
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</b>Link: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://amzn.com/B00IC0M8HS">amzn.com/B00IC0M8HS</a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Last King: Book I,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Episode #3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">Link: <a href="http://amzn.com/B00K1QFKSK" target="_blank">amzn.com/B00K1QFKSK</a></span><a href="http://amzn.com/B00K1QFKSK" target="_blank"> </a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">Meet the Author </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a data-id="l-3732845105" href="http://amzn.com/B00HJZVMJW" rel="nofollow">A. Yamina Collins is the author of the quirky short story collection </a><i><a data-id="l-6931179187" href="http://www.amazon.com/Blueberry-Miller-Files-Yamina-Collins-ebook/dp/B008KAI3KG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387770428&sr=8-1&keywords=the+blueberry+miller+files" rel="nofollow">The Blueberry Miller Files</a></i>. A graduate of New York University, she lives in Manhattan. <b><a data-id="l-6473210538" href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-King-Book-ebook/dp/B00HJZVMJW/ref=la_B008KF2XZM_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401256381&sr=1-3" rel="nofollow">The Last King</a></b> is her first novel, and it has already been in <b>Amazon’s Top 100 Bestseller’s list</b> in Fantasy, Science-fiction, Women’s Fiction Literature and Christian Women’s Literature. Check out her blog at <a data-id="l-1732833526" href="http://www.yaminatoday.com/" rel="nofollow">Yaminatoday.com.</a> or follow her on <a data-id="l-9042990090" href="https://twitter.com/yaminatoday" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /><br />The Last King - Christian literature in a Fantasy/Romance World</b></span><br />
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If you're a lover of Christian books, you might be used to urban tales of trouble from the pulpit, or romances dealing with topics about lost loves, grace and redemption. <br />
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What you might not be prepared for is a sort of Dante's Inferno epic trilogy, about a cosmic chess game of wits between immortal beings called Edenites whose ancestors ate from the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, and the being whom they consider to be their greatest nemesis - God Himself.<br />
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Covering several different genres of literature, A Yamina Collins' fantasy romance, The Last King, follows the trail of a young woman named Emmy Hughes, who, in modern times, innocently finds herself caught in the midst of a game of wits between these two rivals. <br />
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In the book, God considers these immortals possession of immortality to be theft. And for thousands of years He <br />
has dealt with their transgression by sending each of them a "Glitch" ---an unsuspecting human meant to retrieve this stolen "property" of immortality and kill them off. <br />
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When Emmy discovers that she is a the Glitch an imposing Edenite named Gilead Knightly, she is not only thrown into a world of immortals who eat bone marrow, panthers who read minds, and a family whose blood is made of pulsing gold, but she finds herself the target of Gilead's vengeance: he must get rid of her before she “wakes up” and gets rid of him. <br />
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That’s easier said than done, however, because Glitches are not only an Edenite's greatest threat, but they're also their greatest love. The book has already made been in Amazon’s Top 100 Bestseller List in no less than four separate genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Christian Women’s Literature/Women's Fiction Literature.<br />
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Told in fifty-page volumes to be released over the course of the next year and a half (the first volume was released in December, 2013) the book is a trilogy, and it is pack with enough drama and suspense, so far, to keep readers engaged for the long haul.<br />
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Yes, at the at its heart is a love story, but one that spans the cosmos, traces itself through history, and will leave your heart pounding in the arms of modern day New York.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Intimate Conversation with A. Yamina Collins</span><br /><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yamina, do you recall how
your interest in writing originated?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recall how and where. I was nine-years old,
standing in my grandmother's living room when I had a clear epiphany that I was
going to be a writer someday. As for the how, I remember reading books like The
Bluest Eye, The Turn of the Screw and To Kill a Mockingbird and thinking how
stunning it was that those stories could move my soul. That's what I want to be
able to do as a writer; to move people with my words.</span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span>What does “challenge” mean to you? Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?</b><br />
Challenge means not writing the same kind of stories I tend to see in
African-American literature; specifically, I decided to write a
different sort of black male character, one who had, in my opinion, a
real inner life and one who was not a stereotype. I wanted to see a man
like Gilead Knightly be a king, and I wanted to abandon any concept of
black male bashing. This is not to say that Gilead does not have some
major character flaws, because he does. But he is not a black male
archetype.<br />
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It was also a psychological challenge to write the dark-colored girl as
the beautiful love interest. You would think that as a black woman that
would have been easy for me to do. Not so. A history of literature had
conditioned me to think otherwise - or at least to give her light skin
with straight hair. But I abandoned that model altogether because it's
been played out and I believe that it harms black women's self-esteem.<br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span>Introduce us to your book and the main characters. What makes each one special? Do you have any favorites?</b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/A.-Yamina-Collins/e/B008KF2XZM/">The Last King </a>is
about a line of people who cannot die because their ancestors marched
into the Garden of Eden and ate from the tree of life. God, however,
considers this act, and the subsequent immortality that came with it, to
be theft. He wants their immortality returned and he deals with their
transgression by playing a cosmic sort of chess game with them - each
individual Edenite has a Glitch that's meant just for them. A Glitch is a
human who acts as an agent to retrieve the stolen property of
immortality and kill off the Edenite. But all The Edenite has to do in
return is kill his or her Glitch, and the game is over. But there is a
conflict: and Edenite's Glitch is also their greatest love. Emmy, my
female protagonist, is the Glitch for Gilead Knightly, the male
protagonist.<br />
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But of all the two, is definitely my favorite. I love his complexity;
in so many ways he is a torn man - he is in love yet hates that he is in
love; he is a protector and as well as the man whom Emmy should fear.
He is the antagonist and the protagonist both at the same time. He is,
to me, a man of great contradictions, and I love that about him.<br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span>What drew you to tackle the questions or topics in The Last King?</b><br />
I, personally, have gotten tired of either reading slave narratives
(though they do have their place in our world, so this is not to put
them down - we do need them) ghetto lit stories, stories about bad black
women and no-account black men. Yeah, I just got exhausted of it. I
wanted to see black love written about , but one that jumped outside of
the prisms of what we are used to hearing and seeing. And I wanted to
address it from a fantasy perspective. I dig the world of fantasy. I
think it can be fun and your characters get to be larger than life. And
Gilead Knightly is definitely larger than life. I mean, the man keeps
panthers with him in his bedroom, for crying out loud!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did you choose to write
in your particular genre? If you write in more than one genre, how do you
balance them?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina: The Last King is a
science-fiction romance, but its location is rooted here on earth. I chose
science fiction and romance because, as far as I am aware, we don't have a lot
of African-American books that deal with these two genres in the same novel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yes, I write in more than one genre -
really four genres (religious, historical, science-fiction and romance). As to
how I managed to balance the genres, ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am not sure that I have. It will be up to the readers to decide if
I've done a good job of balance, I guess. We shall see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does your book relate
to your present situation, spiritual practice or other life path?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina: "Where there is no
vision, the people perish." That's a quote from proverbs 28: 18 in the
King James versions. And that's what I think literature has been suffering from
lately - vision of what we can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much
of our fiction, while not all bad, nonetheless keeps us confined to drama, reality-show-type
characters- tons of stories filled with unending pain. But where are the heroes
that inspire us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does your faith or
education inspire your writing?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absolutely. For example, I intentionally do
not have my character's curse or take God's name in vain. I chose not to cross
that line even though my main character hates God and is angry with him. I
believe, as a Christian, I am not called to do those things, even in
literature. So I have had to be real creative in how my characters vent their
frustrations. I also could not help but bring God into the story. He is
literally the One behind this intriguing game that Gilead and Emmy must play
with one another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, what do you
want readers to gain from your book?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, I hope readers get to enjoy a
good story. Period. The Last King takes place in this narrow world that Gilead
inhabits with his family and Emmy, in a sense, steps into. And I wanted to take
readers along for that ride and help them begin to view African-American
characters outside of the usual stereotypes we are too often placed into.
Please, no more mammies, Jezebels, brutes and minstrels with an updated face. I
want readers to dream bigger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your goals as a
writer? Do you set out to educate or entertain? Illuminate? Inspire?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yamina:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I must admit that, as a writer, I
dreams of writing The Great American Novel. Yes, I admit it. It's a lofty
dream, but it is a dream that inspires to want to be excellent and not just run
of the mill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">My other goals are to educate and
inspire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I intentionally created a
dark-skinned girl as the love interest to a black man because I wanted to
combat the same old-same old notion of what beauty is; and I wanted to combat
the increasingly odd assumption that black love is a bad thing, or an
unrealistic thing. Yes, I've been wanting to see more of such books. So I
thought to myself<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>'Well, I'll start to
be the change I want to see, I guess."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BAN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can we expect to
see/read from you during the next stage of your career? Any series or new
characters?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">Yamina:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Last King is a two part book series. The first book came out in
December in 2013, and subsequent chapters will be released each month until
December of next year. Readers can either purchase each release on Amazon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can receive all eleven parts as they are
released. After that, I begin work on Book II of The Last King. Yes, I do have
other novels in the works - quite fun books they are - but I have to keep quiet
on future projects. I am not giving my plots away.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-29394212948134528002014-06-26T10:46:00.003-04:002014-06-26T10:46:57.107-04:00The Devil Made Me Do It by Colette R. Harrell<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px;"><span style="font-size: 26px;">The Devil Made Me Do It</span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px;">by Colette R. Harrell</span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://amzn.com/1601627823">Purchase Link: http://amzn.com/1601627823</a></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><strong><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">The Devil Made Me Do It by Colette R. Harrell</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">The voluptuous <strong>Esther Wiley </strong>has
always known that she is special. She’s a tiara-wearing, wand-carrying
kind of Cinderella princess in disguise. The problem that her very own
Fairy Godmother, the Prophetess Mother Reed, struggles with is getting
her to live like it.<br />
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<strong>Briggs Stokes</strong> is the reluctant heir to his father’s
worldwide, multimillion-dollar televangelist ministry, yet he yearns to
be his own man. His past mistakes have caused him a private life of hurt
and loneliness.<br />
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<strong>Esther and Briggs</strong> meet and develop a deep soul
connection, until tragedy strikes and the two are thrust apart. Their
separation leads each down a different path scattered with emotional
minefields. While each step they take brings them closer to who they
were always meant to be, the devil is on assignment. He sends in
reinforcements to usher in confusion and create chaos, and soon no one
is safe. The members of Love Zion church reel from the rumors, innuendo,
and downright sabotage that is going on around them. <br />
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When others devise evil schemes to seek the destruction of <strong>Esther and Briggs</strong>
through jealousy, greed, and murder, only divine intervention can save
them. As an all-out battle for dominion breaks out in the heavens, will
Esther and Briggs become a casualty of war?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Book Review for The Devil Made Me Do It </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">"The
Devil Made Me Do It" is Christian Fiction at its best. The novel is
full of lessons about passion, pain and God's abundant blessings. Filled
with suspense, laughter and touching moments, this page-turning novel
will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. Colette is a
new author to definitely watch. Brava, Ms. Harrell.<br />
<strong>--- Victoria Christopher Murray, Best Selling Author</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Purchase The Devil Made Me Do It by Colette R. Harrell</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Devil-Made-Me-Do/dp/1601627823">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-devil-made-me-do-it-colette-r-harrell/1117024806?ean=9781601627827">Barnes and Noble </a> | <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781601627827">Powells </a> | <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/30173490">Walmart </a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ColetteRHarrellFans/app_133800330028779">On Facebook </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Released nationwide on June 24, 2014<br />
ISBN-10: 1601627823; ISBN-13: 978-1601627827<br />
Genre Christian Fiction - topics include: suicide, abuse, adultery, company fraud, and obsession.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>About the Author</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a href="http://www.writespirit.org/Welcome/index.html">Colette (Ford) Harrell </a>
the author of the debut novel The Devil Made Me Do It is passionate
about the written word. Holding a master’s degree, she is a director of
human services. Her creation and implementation of a health and energy
medical program stands as a best practices model. Her philosophy of
service is compassionate care through a spirit of excellence. A
motivational speaker, she specializes in customer and human service
workshops on state and national levels. She is cofounder of COJACK
Productions, a Christian entertainment company. As an active member of
her church, Kingdom Christian Center, she serves in several ministries.<br />
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Colette is a wife, mother, author, poet, songwriter, and playwright.
Her novel is a delectable read, where romance, suspense, humor, and the
supernatural all come together to entertain, educate, and inspire.<br />
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A Detroit native, she currently resides in Ohio, writing with humor and
compassion to engage and minister to the human heart. Her motto is:
whatever you do, do it “for love alone.”<br />
Website: <a href="http://www.writespirit.org/Welcome/index.html"> http://www.writespirit.org/Welcome/index.html</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px;">Excerpt from The Devil Made Me Do It</span></strong></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><em><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Prologue<br />
<br />
1975</strong></span></em><br />
<br />
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep (Genesis 1:2).<br />
<br />
Two ominous figures sat in quiet contemplation, the larger one’s head
was gargantuan in nature, and foul droplets of acidic mucus fell from
his protruding fangs.<br />
<br />
The smaller one stood sixteen feet tall and his rapier tail was wrapped
protectively around his middle. He sat as still as cold hard stone. His
sinister eyes were yellow rimmed and telegraphed evil cunning. He was
known as The Leader.<br />
<br />
Their silhouettes cast eerie shadows against the backdrop of the smoke-filled flames that spewed from the lake of fire.<br />
<br />
“Ummm, this is my favorite place. Listen to the melodic sound of souls
screaming in agony—it is music to my ears. If you concentrate, you can
hear the desperate pleas for release. Yessss . . .It allows me to know
that all is right in our world,” The High Master said.<br />
<br />
The Leader shuddered as the menacing timbre of The High Master’s voice
snaked fear around his chest. For him, it was equal to the singe of
demon skin from a thousand innocent prayers; he loathed it. His tail
subconsciously tightened as he awaited his newest orders. <br />
<br />
The High Master continued, “These human souls are pathetic with their
self-serving natures. They frighten at the sound of our bumps in the
dark, but create havoc in their own lives. What idiots they are and not
fit for company until they have totally crossed to our side. And even
then they tire me soooo . . .”<br />
<br />
The Leader didn’t stir; his thoughts were of survival. He refused to
speak. He knew a wrong word could cause such suffering and pain. The
High Master’s punishments are prompt and fierce. One seeks death, but
yet, death will not come.<br />
<br />
The High Master continued his tirade, his grimace displaying double
rows of slime-covered fangs. His was a chilling profile. “Your charges
are young. Both are being raised in good homes, and, as a result, they
are overconfident creatures. Leader, do not underestimate their youth;
innocence is a powerful weapon. In their kingdom, the weak become
strong. But we must prey on that weakness and use it to our advantage.
You must destroy them before they complete their purpose. I am giving
you this head start; you must not fail.”<br />
<br />
After speaking, he stood his full twenty feet in height, his shoulders
reared back as his frame vibrated with his frustrated bellowing. “In the
beginning, we owned their world. After the fall, we adjusted; the land
we were given was dark and empty, but we were content with our lot. Then
He whose name is not spoken, created man, and we were once again
demoted. All we seek is our rightful power, our rightful place. Make
haste, bold one, and steal, kill, and destroy all that stands in your
way.”<br />
<br />
The Leader bowed his head in submission.<br />
<br />
“And, Leader—this was a most productive conversation. You are learning.”<br />
<br />
The Leader’s tail unwrapped from his torso as he swiftly rose and
slithered toward his point of ascent into the Earth realm. He was
determined not to fail. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><strong>Chapter One</strong></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">The
Detroit pollution and cold, foggy weather covered Esther Wiley’s
shivering body in crisp, arctic shades of blue gray, reminiscent of
watercolors dancing in the jelly jar after her arts and crafts class.
She shivered, but stubbornly refused to let her mother put a scarf
around her small head. She was going to be Cinderella. Cinderella didn’t
wear an old ugly scarf. Well, maybe when she was cleaning, but she
wasn’t trying to be that kind of Cinderella. No ashes to ashes and dust
to dust for her. She was all about glass slippers and diamond tiaras.<br />
<br />
Esther’s round cheeks were rosy from the wind, her hated freckles beet
red glowing in contrast to the caramel cream of her skin. Her knobby
knees were pressed together whenever she wasn’t bouncing from foot to
foot in the frigid air. She was on a mission. She wasn’t allowing a
hideous scarf to mess up her hair in exchange for a little warmth. She
had endured two hours of “hold the grease jar lid on your ear pain” that
produced silky pressed hair. There was torture in the quest for
straight tresses. In her seven-year-old mind, her priorities were clear.<br />
<br />
Esther’s petulant voice screeched. “Mama, how much longer do we have to
wait? I can’t stand it. I want to try on the glass slipper—right now.”<br />
<br />
“Mind your manners. In a moment, I’m going to give you what your
Grandma Vic used to call a private deliverance in a public place.”<br />
<br />
A curl of warm breath escaped when Esther sighed. She turned away,
rolled her eyes, and then stared defiantly at her mother. The same hands
that calmly cuddled her at night now moved restlessly after giving up
trying to place a warm scarf on Esther’s head. Esther didn’t dare speak.
She had badgered her mother to bring her and her two best friends to
downtown Detroit for the Cinderella contest. When they arrived, the line
to enter the historical skyscraper snaked around the building. Two
hours later they still couldn’t see the front entrance. As the wind
bellowed, time stood still, but because of her mother’s mood, she
resisted the urge to tell her she was freezing. <br />
<br />
She peeked at her friends’ reaction to her mother’s scolding. She could
see Sheri and Deborah were indifferent to her embarrassment; their
faces tense as they craned their necks to see the start of the line. <br />
<br />
Esther puffed warm breath into her mittens. “Y’all shouldn’t have come if you didn’t want to wait.”<br />
<br />
Sheri’s elfin face was etched in anxiety. Her shoulders sagging, she
grimaced at the time on her watch. She leaned forward in a panicked
whisper. “You know I had to sneak out of the house to come. If my mama
finds out I’m here, I’ma get a whipping.”<br />
<br />
“You should have told her,” Deborah smacked her sour grape gum, then twirled it around her finger.<br />
<br />
Sheri’s jaw tightened. “I tried.” She pointed her finger in a mock role
play of her mother. “‘Ain’t no such thing as Cinderella, and sho’ ain’t
no Prince Charming. Get in them school books. There isn’t anything
worse than being ignorant.’ Y’all know how my mama gets.”<br />
<br />
Laughing, Deborah slapped her hand against her thigh. “Uh, uh, uh,” she
stuck her gum back into her mouth and popped it. “Girl, you sounded
just like your mama.”<br />
<br />
With hands on her small hips, Esther swung her head toward Deborah. “Well, what about you? You could have stayed home.”<br />
<br />
“Oh no, where you two go, I go. You can’t leave me out. I can stand
this girly stuff for one day.” Deborah eyeballed her and popped her gum
for emphasis.<br />
<br />
Esther sighed in her trademark dramatic fashion. “Please stop playing with your gum. That’s just nasty.”<br />
<br />
She wished her friends cared as much about the Cinderella contest as
she did. Sheri was the smart one, but her whippings from her mama were
the talk of the block. Deborah was the tomboy; she had seven brothers.<br />
<br />
Esther’s older sister, Phyllis once said, “Deborah’s mama better take
that chile in hand quick ’cause if she don’t, she gon’ end up funny.”<br />
<br />
Esther tried to explain that’s what she liked about Deborah—that she
was funny. Phyllis just stared at her with small slit eyes, sucked her
teeth, and told her to get out of her room.<br />
<br />
She didn’t know why Phyllis always said that because half the drawers
and closet space were hers, and she slept on the bottom bunk bed. But
before she got pinched . . . Or worse, she’d leave the room.<br />
<br />
Esther understood her friends’ mood; it was her mother, she couldn’t
figure out. Mrs. Wiley reminded her of herself when she had to go to the
doctor and get a shot; frightened.<br />
<br />
Esther swallowed, summoned her courage, and pulled on her mother’s coat
sleeve. “Mama, what’s wrong? Why did you say we might have to leave
before I try on the slipper?”<br />
<br />
Her mother’s eyes blinked in rapid succession. “I—well—I—girl, quit asking me questions.”<br />
<br />
In a huff, Esther folded her arms, and clamped her lips tight. In a
snail-like increment, thirty minutes dragged by, and finally they
entered the department store.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
It was so beautiful; Hudson’s department store had turned the
tenth-floor lobby into a lighted winter wonderland. In the center of the
room, a handsome prince with dark hair and sapphire eyes kneeled before
each little girl as she sat on the white, satin bench and tried on the
glass slipper. To a young heart, it was breathtaking.<br />
<br />
<br />
Esther was so excited that she peed—just a little—in her underwear.
When it was her time to approach the bench and sit down, she closed her
eyes, folded her hands, prayed, and waited for the miracle that her
grandmother had assured her God could deliver.<br />
<br />
“Yes. Yes . . . Yes!” she squealed. The glass slipper fit her small foot perfectly.<br />
<br />
Her mother cried out, “Oh my goodness; you won, you won.”<br />
<br />
Her friends danced around, and they all jumped up and down together. It
took them a few minutes—the silence around them incredulous—to notice
that they were the only ones celebrating.<br />
<br />
Esther hugged her mother around the waist and peeked at the crowd.
Somber pale faces reflected shock, anger, and disbelief; it was plain
that their small entourage’s happiness lacked the crowd’s support.<br />
<br />
The distressed prince rose, his back ramrod straight. He confidently
looked over at the tall, austere man who seemed to be in charge.<br />
<br />
“I am sorry, miss,” the man advanced on Esther’s mother, his hawkish
nose tilted in an imperious manner. “It isn’t a proper fit. Please
relinquish the slipper to the next person. You and your daughter are
holding up the line.”<br />
<br />
Esther wailed in protest. “But, Mama—” Her mother placed a finger over
her mouth and used her other hand to wipe her burgeoning tears.<br />
<br />
Mrs. Wiley’s voice was soft and gentle, her hands tender in their
ministrations of comfort. “Shush, baby, let’s go.” Her face was
strained, and her eyes inflamed with a century of unspoken words and
kindled rage.<br />
<br />
Esther discerned something unspeakable had happened, and she should not
ask about it. She grabbed her mother’s hand and placed her other hand
in Sheri’s, who then took hold of Deborah’s. They were linked; one.<br />
<br />
The friends were confused; somehow they had done something . . . Wrong.
The swirling abyss in their stomachs paid homage to their guilt. Shame
hovered over them like the Detroit factory’s smokestack stench. They
huddled together, drawing comfort from each other. Stiff and silent,
they exited the store into fresh falling snow. Esther felt the chill of
the cold air all around her. She released Sheri’s hand and with tears
frozen on her face, spoke in a meek, trembling voice. “Mama, my face is
cold.”<br />
<br />
Her mother reached down and slowly tied the ugly floral printed scarf around her silky pressed hair.<br />
<br />
As the small, dejected group hurried down the street, a shadow followed
along the wall; its long form slithered between the cracks of worn
buildings as it hissed along the way. It was oblivious to the noise of
traffic and other people rushing to and fro. It was a single-minded
creature, and they were not his problem. He was only concerned with his
assignment.<br />
<br />
Today had been a good start, and he was pleased but not satisfied. He
was like The High Master in that regard. Until the fruit from the vine
was spoiled, his job wasn’t complete. For each of his young assignments,
he was just beginning. He knew from experience it was better to catch
the fruit before it matured. He watched as they scrambled forward,
seeking solace in each other’s presence. As he followed, he wore a look
of utter contempt for his charges. His yellow eyes gleamed eerily with a
malignant delight against the growing darkness of the day. After all,
it was a job well done.<br />
<br />
<br />
( Continued... )<br />
<br />
© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of
the author, Colette R. Harrell. Do not reproduce, copy or use without
the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious
offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a
link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sneak
peek.</span></span><br />
</div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>About the Author</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Colette (Ford) Harrell</strong>
the author of the debut novel The Devil Made Me Do It is passionate
about the written word. Holding a master’s degree, she is a director of
human services. Her creation and implementation of a health and energy
medical program stands as a best practices model.<br />
<br />
A motivational speaker, she specializes in customer and human service
workshops on state and national levels. She is cofounder of COJACK
Productions, a Christian entertainment company. As an active member of
her church, Kingdom Christian Center, she serves in several ministries.<br />
<br />
Colette is a wife, mother, author, poet, songwriter, and playwright.
Her novel, The Devil Made Me Do It, is a delectable read, where
romance, suspense, humor, and the supernatural all come together to
entertain, educate, and inspire. <br />
<br />
A Detroit native, she currently resides in Ohio, writing with humor and
compassion to engage and minister to the human heart. Her motto is:
whatever you do, do it “for love alone.”<br />
<br />
Website: <a href="http://www.writespirit.org/Welcome/index.html">http://www.writespirit.org/Welcome/index.html</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><strong>Intimate Conversation with Colette R. Harrell</strong></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><strong><img alt="" height="415" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/Colette_Professional_picture_21.jpg" width="276" /></strong></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ColetteRHarrellFans"><strong>Colette (Ford) Harrell</strong></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ColetteRHarrellFans"><strong> </strong></a>the author of the debut novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Devil-Made-Me-Do/dp/1601627823"><strong>The Devil Made Me Do It</strong> </a>is
passionate about the written word. Holding a master’s degree, she is a
director of human services. Her creation and implementation of a health
and energy medical program stands as a best practices model. Her
philosophy of service is compassionate care through a spirit of
excellence. A motivational speaker, she specializes in customer and
human service workshops on state and national levels. She is cofounder
of COJACK Productions, a Christian entertainment company. As an active
member of her church, Kingdom Christian Center, she serves in several
ministries.<br />
<br />
Colette is a wife, mother, author, poet, songwriter, and playwright.
Her novel is a delectable read, where romance, suspense, humor, and the
supernatural all come together to entertain, educate, and inspire. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">A
Detroit native, she currently resides in Ohio, writing with humor and
compassion to engage and minister to the human heart. Her motto is:
whatever you do, do it “for love alone.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book?</strong><br />
Pure guts and faith, I didn’t know I had. You have this dream of living
your passion. So, you take steps to make your dream a reality. I sent a
short story into this or that magazine with no response back. I’ve
started and stopped a million times. Then one day I sat down at a
computer, prayed, and a story began to take shape. I’m a little
different, and my story is different. But I wrote it anyway, because it
wanted—needed—to be told, the way I was telling it.<br />
<br />
The story of <a href="https://www.smore.com/uh84">The Devil Made Me Do It</a>
resounded in my spirit because I always liked romance, science fiction,
and paranormal stories. I wanted to tell a Christian tale with
supernatural activity. God is ever present, but I wanted to also show
demons, imps, etc., at work. The resulting story became a page turner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?</strong><br />
Absolutely. I’m this city chick with a Southern twang from the hood of
southwest Detroit. I was raised in a two-parent household with four
siblings. My parents were all about reading versus television
consumption. I think we were the last household in the neighborhood to
purchase a color television. What we did have were books, magazines, and
newspapers. At a young age, reading was my passion, and it still is.<br />
<br />
For me, a good book is like good gossip—you just have to share it. By
sharing other’s stories, I began to want to tell my own, my own way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Do you ever let the book stew—leave it for months, and then come back to it?</strong><br />
Maybe not months. I can’t leave my child alone that long (that would be
child abuse). But, yes, I have had to leave it. To let fresh eyes take
another look at it later, and create, once again, from the heart. To
pray that God gives me an understanding of where my characters are
headed and how they will get there. In the meantime, I’m working on
something else. Eventually, I will go back to the book and complete it;
after all, you have to give the child you birthed a happy ending . . .
Or maybe not.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider your book? </strong><br />
The book is Christian fiction with an “edge.” I say that because, yes,
my main characters are Christian, but they aren’t perfect, and they
don’t part the Red Sea or walk on water (although I do believe that
miracles and wonders still occur). My characters sometimes make poor
choices, and they have to face the consequences of those choices. They
are not plastic people, but realistic, dealing with current issues.<br />
<br />
My main character, Esther, is a beautiful, full-figured woman who
always wanted to be the princess at the ball, courted by the Prince
Charming. Instead, she settled for the frog, who shared her lily pond.
The handsome, charismatic Briggs Stokes appears to have it all—but at
what price?<br />
<br />
The book’s glimpse into the supernatural provides a twist that is
“cover-your-eyes scary,” and in the next chapter, “slap the table, fun
and humorous.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?</strong><br />
Esther dares to believe, even from a young age, that she is a
tiara-wearing, wand-carrying, princess extraordinaire. Her acting on
that belief produces trauma that has a rippling effect. As she suffers a
tremendous loss, she vacillates between doubt and hope. Her way of
coping is to become the poster child for doing good, even though the
devil is prompting her to be bad.<br />
<br />
Briggs is a son of privilege, but it’s that same privilege that makes
him come to believe that in his truest self, he is invisible. It’s not
just about his inherited money, but about who he really is. He struggles
with the question: How do you grow up around God’s anointed superstar
and still be seen for yourself?<br />
<br />
Identity theft was committed long before the computer age. Briggs’s and
Esther’s failure to know their purpose could result in a destiny of
abusing it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What topics are primarily discussed? Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?</strong><br />
Yes, they deal with suicide—a taboo subject in most communities. They
also deal with lust and adultery. All of America is hooked on a
television show built around adultery with one of the most powerful men
in the country. It’s entertaining; it’s riveting . . . but is it
biblical? <br />
<br />
The characters have to come to terms with physical and verbal abuse,
suicide, corporate fraud, and stalking. I also discuss how choices
affect our lives. I ask and answer the question: Can one childhood
incident shape the rest of your life?<br />
<br />
I learned that my best writing came when I allowed my own pain, joy, or insecurities to be transparent in my storytelling.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What would you like for readers to take away from your writing?</strong><br />
I want them to be entertained. I want them to have Aha! moments that
set them on the road to self-discovery. I want them to draw closer to a
God who loves them unconditionally.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: How do you go about reaching new readers?</strong><br />
Three avenues: The best compliment I received was from someone stating
that their friends who were not Christians would read The Devil Made Me
Do It because it was so entertaining. First, tell a good story. <br />
<br />
Second, in an excerpt reading with men (who were coerced to come by
their wives), their feedback was that it wasn’t the normal chick-flick
literature they thought it was going to be, and they all asked me to
keep reading. Tell a good story that others can relate to.<br />
<br />
And, third, hopefully, people who read this interview will be inspired
to run out and buy The Devil Made Me Do It, and then tell others to buy
it too. Tell a good story and it promotes itself! (See how I keep
mentioning the name of the book? Subconsciously, you’re hearing—buy the
book, buy the book . . . LOL.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author?</strong><br />
Well, here is where I get very philosophical and state that I’m not in
this for the money. NOT! This is a time-consuming,
not-for-the-fainthearted venture. So, maybe not first, even though it’s
listed here as first, I’d like to make a living at this. That would be
one form of success.<br />
<br />
Another would be for others to enjoy the story so much that they reread
it. And that they sit in anticipation for the next book. Those both
would be a form of success.<br />
<br />
Last, but most important, I would define success as something on the
inside of the reader that transcends the mundane and spiritually
enhances their life. That would be the ultimate form and definition of
success for me as a published author.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: What are your ambitions for your writing career?</strong><br />
Up, up, and away! I would love to do this when I am retired and old,
sitting on my screened-in porch, sipping on a mango lemonade under a
blue summer sky, typing away. You gotta love it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>BPM: Is there anything else you would like to add that I
haven’t included? How can readers discover more about you and your work?</strong><br />
My goal is to continue writing beyond my Heaven over Hell trilogy. I
plan to be around for a while. This is that second half in life, the
career that everyone is saying is possible.<br />
<br />
You can stay current through my blog and website: Writespirit.org, located at ColetteHarrell.com<br />
<br />
I’ve developed a fictional character by the name of Mother Maku Sweat,
and her husband is Bishop Mo Sweat. She’s a feisty evangelist, full of
the wisdom of the ages. I plan to have Mother Sweat’s video advice
column on my website as well. Look for Mother Sweat beginning in May of
2014!</span></span></div>
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-36932622294099773792014-06-26T10:43:00.005-04:002014-06-26T10:43:54.718-04:00Momma: Gone A Personal Story by Nina Foxx<h2 class="theme-p-title theme-color3" data-clicktarget="#" data-target="title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Momma: Gone A Personal Story </span></h2>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4y170XOw5o/U6wxUcbXF6I/AAAAAAAAEwE/MBkY0ojAGXE/s1600/mommagonefoxxme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a4y170XOw5o/U6wxUcbXF6I/AAAAAAAAEwE/MBkY0ojAGXE/s1600/mommagonefoxxme.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<h2 class="theme-p-title theme-color3" data-clicktarget="#" data-target="title">
"Momma set me on the jukebox." So begins the personal story of
Denise (Sweetie) Wooten, set between a post-civil rights era New York
City and a growing, but stale rural Alabama. We are thrust in the midst
of a family longing for normalcy, but instead struggling with illness
and all that comes with it; denial, anger and misunderstanding and love.
</h2>
<br /> As cultures clash, we see the family through a child's eyes
and walk with her as she makes sense of war fought far away, but with
effects close to home, and a tragedy that changes her life forever. <br /> <br />
More truth than not, Momma: Gone is a story of survival, where all the
lessons are taught by the child who must eventually lead them through
and a classic American story of overcoming life's misfortunes to find
the bloom on the other side. <a data-id="l-3383075026" href="http://www.amazon.com/Momma-Gone-Nina-Foxx/dp/0615902162" rel="nofollow">Momma: Gone A Personal Story by Nina Foxx </a> was shortlisted for a Doctorow Award in Innovative Fiction<br /> <br /> <strong><br /> Praise for Momma: Gone A Personal Story by Nina Foxx</strong><br /><br /> <strong>A grief laden journey that will tug at your heart. Profoundly moving. <br /> ---Anita Doreen Diggs, author The Other Side of the Game, former editor, Random House</strong><strong><br />Purchase Momma: Gone A Personal Story by Nina Foxx</strong><br /> (Available May 2, 2014) <br />Link: <a data-id="l-7531124693" href="http://amzn.com/0615902162" rel="nofollow"> http://amzn.com/0615902162<br /></a><br />
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Black Pearls Interview with Nina Foxx </h2>
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<strong>Discussing Momma: Gone A Personal Story</strong><br />
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<strong>BPM: What inspired you to write this book?</strong><br />
I
started writing this many years ago. I think it is actually the first
thing I ever tried to write. I had a memory of going to a bar with my
mother and wanted to put it on paper. She died before I was seven, so it
was very hazy, but more things unfolded from my memory. <br />
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<strong>BPM: Is this a true story?</strong><br />Absolutely. This book is based on my childhood. It is embellished, of course. <br />Sweetie (main character) had a story that needed to be told.<br />
<br /><strong><br />BPM: Introduce us to </strong><strong>Momma: Gone A Personal Story.</strong> Well,
this book is literary fiction. If I'd had more courage, I would have
written it as Creative non-fiction. This is a story about family and
heartbreak as much as it is about loss and recovery. More truth than
not, Momma: Gone is a story of survival, where all the lessons are
taught by the child who must eventually lead them through and a classic
American story of overcoming life's misfortunes to find the bloom on the
other side.<br />
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<strong>BPM: Tell us about your main characters. What makes them so special? </strong><br />
Sweetie
is seven years old when this story begins. She is a precocious child
that is very much aware of the things that are going on around her, even
though the adults never tell her what is going on. She is aware of her
mother's illness and the effect it has on the family.<br />
<br /><br /> <strong>BPM: What are your goals for your writing career?</strong><br />
Momma: Gone is my 15th book. I just want to continue to tell good stories and make a few good movies.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What would you like for readers to do after reading this book? </strong><br />
I want people to feel along with the main character as she grows, then go out and tell someone about it. <br /><br /><br />
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-86745216927502685482014-06-26T10:40:00.004-04:002014-06-26T10:40:40.525-04:00What If It Feels Good by D.J. McLaurin<div class="theme-p theme-color-4" data-target="content">
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<strong> Michael Bagley</strong>,
street savvy and beautiful, learned the art of the con and sleeps with
older women to survive. When an accidental shooting sets off a citywide
manhunt and thrusts Michael into certain danger, his mother, a stripper
at a local nightclub, is finally forced to confront the biological
father who didn’t know Michael existed. Soon he finds himself whisked
off the streets of Detroit and transplanted into a world of champagne
dreams with more money at his fingertips than he ever thought possible.<br /> <br />Then Michael’s life takes a bizarre turn as he bonds with his father’s best friend. <strong>Chachi</strong>
is a charming, down-to-earth ladies ’man who awakens sensations Michael
can’t explain, throwing him into identity turmoil. But when the dust
settles, Michael learns that neither riches, fame nor age has anything
to do with love. As Michael fights to keep a relationship that may be
against the odds and out of his league, he hopes the streets have
toughened him enough to withstand a scorned woman’s wrath, his parent’s
attempted sabotage—and the public’s outrage.<br /> <strong><br />In this
story of love, betrayal, and revenge, bonds are tested, friendships are
challenged, dark secrets surface and an epic romance blossoms amidst a
media circus.</strong><br /><strong><br /><br />What If It Feels Good by D.J. McLaurin<br />Contemporary, Alternative Fiction <br />BGP: <a data-id="l-2276532991" href="http://browngirlspublishing.com/catalog-item/what-if-it-feels-good/" rel="nofollow">http://browngirlspublishing.com/catalog-item/what-if-it-feels-good/</a><br /><br /><br />About the Author</strong>Chicago native,<strong> DJ McLaurin</strong>,
is the author of the provocative new novel, What if it Feels Good? A
graduate of DePaul University and a Certified Public Accountant, DJ has
worked in various fields including banking, auditing, a twenty-two year
stint in radio, and, most recently, the Theatre Industry. She resides in
South Holland, Illinois, with her husband and her two daughters, where
she is working on Pretty Boy, a riveting follow up to What If It Feels
Good, Falling Up, and Metamorphosis, as well as a new venture into the
genre of the supernatural titled In The Company of Ghosts.<strong><br /><br />Website: <a data-id="l-8917429759" href="http://www.djmclaurin.com/" rel="nofollow">www.djmclaurin.com</a><br />Follow on Twitter: @mclaurindj<br />Facebook: <a data-id="l-2359188265" href="http://facebook.com/mclaurindj" rel="nofollow">http://facebook.com/mclaurindj</a><br /><br /></strong> </div>
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Praise for What If It Feels Good </h2>
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<strong><br />Book Review by Stanley Bennett Clay "author of LOOKER" </strong><br /> <br />D.J.
McLaurin's hard-to-put-down, exceptionally well-written and
phenomenally plotted "What If It Feels Good?" is pure old-school pop
fiction with an edge. Harkening back to the better days of Danielle
Steele, Sidney Sheldon, and Jeffrey Archer, and a terrific homage to
Charles Dickens, Ms. McLaurin restores melodrama's good name with a
story as heart-wrenching as anything concocted by the Bronte sisters,
while still maintaining a unique voice of her own with a contemporary
and downright controversial slant few writers have been brave enough to
traverse.<br /><br /><br /><strong><br />Book Review Written by CHayes </strong><br /><br />What
If It Feels Good by D.J. McLaurin is a riveting novel that throws you
into the pit of hell and drags you into another world. This book is
filled with everything from abusive relationships, cheating, stardom,
uniting, and salvaging memories; you name it, it is in here.<br /><br />Meet
Michael Bagley, a young man forced to move out of his mother's home
because of an abusive boyfriend. Where can he turn when he does not know
who is his real father? Michael hits the streets where he does anything
for money, food and shelter. When Michael tries to save his mother,
Sarah, from her violent boyfriend the confrontation has him on the run.
Facing jail time, Sarah must tell Michael the truth about the identity
of his father, and Michaels' life will never be the same.<br /><br />D.J.
McLaurin pushes you to the point of no return. When Michael meets his
father and is faced with his fathers' lavish lifestyle and happy family,
all hell breaks loose. For goodness sake he was eating out of garbage
cans, prostituting himself and sleeping under a bridge. How could Sarah
let him live under these conditions given his father's status?<br /><br />Michael
now has a new battle to face; he has fallen in love with his father's
best friend of twenty years. Will love prevail? When the lies become too
much and boundaries are crossed who will come out unscathed?<br /><br />This
book is filled with an abundance of emotions; forcing me to feel the
inevitable, cry and pray for Michaels' safety and sanity. As a parent, I
was filled with mixed emotions, in regards to the lack of parental
control the parents had over his life. I did however, enjoy reading this
book, and look forward to the riveting sequel to find out if love
conquers all.<br /><br />I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys reading, feeling and appreciating a good story. <strong> Reviewed by: Cheryl H, APOOO BookClub<br /><br /><br /><br /></strong> </div>
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<br /><br />Intimate Conversation with D.J. McLaurin </h2>
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Chicago native, <strong>DJ McLaurin</strong>,
is the author of the provocative new novel, What if it Feels Good? A
graduate of DePaul University and a Certified Public Accountant, DJ has
worked in various fields including banking, auditing, a twenty-two year
stint in radio, and, most recently, the Theatre Industry. She resides in
South Holland, Illinois, with her husband and her two daughters, where
she is working on Pretty Boy, a riveting follow up to What If It Feels
Good, Falling Up, and Metamorphosis, as well as a new venture into the
genre of the supernatural titled In The Company of Ghosts.<br /><br /><strong><br />BPM: What drove you to sit down and actually start writing this book? </strong><br />I
worked for the company that produced the Today’s Black Woman Expo in
Chicago, and author Naleighna Kai would appear as guest speaker
annually. I would sit in the back and watch her work that room. One
year, I gathered enough nerve to approach her and talk about a novel
idea I had been keeping in my heart. She was so appalled that I let fear
snatch my pen. She literally threatened that I’d better not attend
another one of her events without that manuscript in my hand. It was
completed by the next event and she guided me from there.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing? </strong><br />Absolutely!
I am 4th from the bottom of 11 children. Inside that brood, I rarely
got enough attention. I had my siblings to play with, but it was mostly
my imagination that I turned to for comfort. To help my mother with the
younger siblings and cousins, I would draw pictures and tell them
stories from the pictures. When I was older and able to write
coherently, I began reading to them, both from my own writings and from
books. I would read anything: food labels, dictionaries, encyclopedias,
weekly readers, Jet Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Readers Digest, Life
Magazine…anything I’d find laying around the house. When I read a story
and didn’t like the ending, I’d rewrite it.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you write every day?</strong><br />Do
you have a special time to write? My published novels were written on a
full-time schedule, and I wrote everyday with one day off. Lately, I
write more for my own enjoyment. Therefore, if it feels like work, I
don’t do it. I write as my muse indulges me. Otherwise, I pick up a
book.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Do you ever let the book stew – leave it for months and then come back to it? </strong>Never
for months, but weeks? Yes. I’ll push a manuscript aside and read great
stories or watch great movies for inspiration, or just a change of
pace.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven? </strong><br />My
books are mainly character driven. Characters form themselves in my
head and live out many lives for many months—years even—until the events
of their lives began to stitch themselves into novels worth sharing. I
like stepping into the shoes of folks who are completely unlike me.<br /><br /><strong>BPM:
Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider your
book? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?</strong><br />
I’m currently writing contemporary fiction, with an alternative flair;
but I can’t wait to delve into other genre’s—particularly fantasy and
paranormal. All books will be available via Kindle, and possibly Nook.<br /><strong><br />BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special? </strong><br />Michael
is a street savvy, homeless, young beauty who makes a living hustling
alongside his stripper Mom, Sarah. His stunning brains and wealth of
charisma does not reconcile with his lot, and Michael senses that he
comes from something else, but he doesn’t press his mother. What he
longs for most, besides life’s basic needs, is simply love. Because of
his looks, he cannot escape the attentions of others, male and female.
Life has hardened him to these affections, and he has to eat, so he uses
what he can get…until someone special unlocks his passions and all his
secrets…<br /><br />Out of fear, Sarah withholds the truth of Michael’s
birth and spirals into a life of self-abuse in an effort to outrun her
past…and her guilt. When her beautiful son finds trouble, she risks
everything to save him, revealing his true birth-right, and turning many
lives head over feet.<br /><br />Chachi is a juggernaut of a man, in
stature, power and personality. With his tightly-bound group of friends,
he has created an empire. With this life comes the spoil of the rich:
money, houses, cars, women…he has it all. But he’s in his thirties and
has never been in love…until…<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Can you outline some areas where your characters dealt with issues that are in current affairs?</strong> <br />Homelessness,
street soliciting, forbidden romance, adultery, celebrity w/ paparazzi
issues, are all current affairs explored in What If It Feels Good.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: What would you like for readers to take away from your writing? How do you go about reaching new readers? </strong><br />
I want to give readers another perspective. I won’t them to reconsider
their lifelong opinions and viewpoints. I tend to use social media to
reach as many new readers as possible, but I’m hoping this books uses
those “legs” to carry it even farther. Word of mouth is an author’s best
friend.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career? </strong><br />I
would love for the world to read and love my books. I love to write
thought-provoking plots and get a reader’s feedback. That’s the only
reason I publish—to reach these readers that would appreciate such
stories and share the experience. Otherwise, I would be happy writing as
a hobby.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: What is your favorite positive saying? Where do you find your daily inspiration? </strong><br />My
mom always says, “ No ain’t never killed anyone.” Meaning, to ask for
what you want and not let the fear of rejection stop you.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Were there any challenges in bringing this story to life? </strong><br />Writing
from the male point of view was a challenge. I’m constantly reviewing
the emotional temperature of the characters. Men aren’t as emotional as
women, and I have trouble with balancing that.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing? </strong><br />The
disadvantages of self-publishing are often the advantages.
Self-publishers have the autonomy to make all the decisions and reap the
bulk of the benefits. On the one hand, that’s a lot of hard work. On
the other hand, you get to make all the decisions and reap the bulk of
the benefits…<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Where do you see publishing going in the future? In your opinion, will ebooks continue to reign?</strong> <br />Ebooks
will reign supreme! I still love paper books, and don’t own an e-reader
(yet), but who can deny the genius of this super service!<br /><br /><strong>BPM: What’s your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? </strong><br />The
Internet, and social media at large, is a brilliant marketing tool.
It’s also a vast oasis, so you have to know what you’re doing, or hire
someone that knows what they’re doing, or you’ll find that you’re simply
spinning your wheels.<br /><br /><strong>BPM: Is there anything else you
would like to add that I haven’t included? How can readers discover more
about you and you work? </strong><br />Leave me a note at <a data-id="l-3297483860" href="mailto:mclaurindj@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow">mclaurindj@yahoo.com</a> or visit <a data-id="l-3711765324" href="http://www.djmclaurin.com/" rel="nofollow">www.djmclaurin.com</a>.<br /><br />Website: <a data-id="l-8999128804" href="http://www.djmclaurin.com/" rel="nofollow">www.djmclaurin.com</a><br />Follow on Twitter: @mclaurindj<br />Facebook: <a data-id="l-4804186949" href="http://facebook.com/mclaurindj" rel="nofollow">http://facebook.com/mclaurindj</a> </div>
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-56753019397034054802014-06-26T10:38:00.000-04:002014-06-26T10:38:01.187-04:00Something About April by Cheri Paris Edwards<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><b><span style="font-size: 36px;">Something About April </span><br />
by Cheri Paris Edwards<br /></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#%21books/cnec"><img alt="" height="193" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/somethingaboutaprbanner.jpg" style="height: 456px; width: 753px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><span style="color: black;">In </span><a href="http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#%21books/cnec" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"> Something About April</span></a><span style="color: black;">,
Carla Jefferson meets the perfect guy, but he's not quite the man of
her dreams. Will she hold on to love, or let it slip away hoping for a
chance at the life she's imagined? A rediscovered photograph and the
return of old friends stir memories and a desire to reclaim the past,
setting into motion events that may change the Jefferson family
forever. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#%21books/cnec" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><b>Something About April</b></span></a><span style="color: black;">
is the second novel in a planned series of four books about the
midwestern Jefferson family introduced in book one, The Other Sister. In
this fast-paced story focus shifts to older characters, and moves from
the conversation of faith to the daily struggles of the Jefferson family
and their friends as they strive to meet life's challenges.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Meet the Jeffersons: </b>
James Jefferson is a driven man, motivated by love for his family,
devotion to church members and concern for the community. After
centering her life around the interests of others, Lena Jefferson must
readjust now that her adult daughters are living lives of their own.
Older daughter Carla Jefferson juggles the responsibilties of a
demanding career while hoping for love, while her younger sister Sanita
strives to move through life with the same self-confidence that made her
an athletic star. Get to know the Jeffersons as they navigate a season
of love, laughter and heartache, wrestling with life's challenges while
holding on to friends, faith and one another.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><i>James Jefferson </i>
– is the father who is driven by his own humble beginnings by a need to
give back to the community and take care of his family, so he’s a bit
of a social activist with a pulpit. He defines himself as “project boy”
and he is the son of single mother who struggled to raise him and a
sister. A promising athlete, he grew up in the church, and his faith and
the church became a respite leading him to eventually followed become a
minister. Faith Community is not a mega-church but does have a thriving
congregation. He also owns and sells real estate, and while not
wealthy, has provided a middle-class lifestyle for his family.<br />
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<i>Lena Jefferson</i> – is his wife who spent much of her life shaping
herself into the person she thought a minister’s wife should be. She
served as part-time church secretary, and was a homemaker. Now that her
daughters are adults and living on their own she’s left with a void in
her life.<br />
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<i>Carla Jefferson</i> – is the older Jefferson daughter who’s always
tried to do the right thing. She’s a bit of a perfectionist, a school
administrator at a charter middle school who has felt eclipsed by her
younger, athletic sister Sanita who is also more outgoing. In the first
story, she had been on a few dates with ex-pro basketball player
Terrence Catchings who fell head over heels for Sanita when she returned
to town.<br />
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<i>Sanita Jefferson</i> – the younger Jefferson sister, who also is an
ex-athlete. Poor decisions while she was away from home, put her both
her health and freedom at risk, but with a cleared slate, she is
rebounding, living on her own now and taking courses at the community
college.<br />
<br />
<b>We learn more about James and Lena in this story and Lena’s attorney
friend Nadine, Javier Quintero, and Mandy who is Carla’s good friend
are introduced in this book.</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Purchase Something About April (The Jeffersons-Volume 2)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Link: </span><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458710"><span style="color: black;"> http://amzn.com/0991458710 </span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The Other Sister (The Jeffersons) (Volume 1)</b><br />
Link: </span><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458702"><span style="color: black;"> http://amzn.com/0991458702</span></a></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 26px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Excerpt from Something About April </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 26px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><b>CHAPTER ONE</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">She couldn’t sleep. All day, sleep had wooed her with heavy-lidded promises, but a</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">s soon as s</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">he got into bed, th</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">e
flirtation was over. She closed her eyes and her mind reeled and
lurched like an uneven film. Lifting on her elbows, she squinted. The
clock’s bright digits seemed to glare at her — another hour had passed.
She sank onto her pillow. Hopeful, she shut her eyes, but as soon as her
lids lowered, the show spun into motion again. Flashes from yesterday
melded into this day’s events before whirling into plans for tomorrow.
With a sigh, she sat upright. Peeling back the covers, she glanced at
her husband. His gentle breathing sang a rhythmic hum. Sliding into her
slippers, she snagged her robe from the footboard post, and tied it on.
She stepped into the hallway, and gently pulled the door closed behind
her.<br />
<br />
Gliding stealthily through the darkened house, she moved as though she
had a plan, but she did not. She paused in the kitchen to open the
refrigerator and peer at the contents before settling on a bottle of
water. Resting the bottle on the counter, she scooped used glasses into
the sink before dampening a cloth to sweep away evidence of a late-night
sandwich he made. “How many times have I asked him to not leave
crumbs?” she grumbled.<br />
<br />
Bottled water in hand, she padded through the dining room and into the
wide expanse of the family room. At the fireplace, she drew the metal
curtain to prod the simmering wood with a poker, then, rubbing her
chilled arms, fell into the seat of a chair in front of her desk. She
lifted the lid to her laptop.<br />
<br />
“Why do you need a password?” he had asked the other day as he watched
her logging in. His eyes deepened with curiosity. “It’s not like anyone
else has access. It’s your computer.”<br />
<br />
“From the writing class I was taking,” she explained. “We had to write
poems now and then, and sometimes I still journal my feelings. Guess
it’s like a diary,” she continued. “Giving it a password is like it has a
key. Makes me feel safer writing about my feelings if I know I’m the
only one reading it,” she finished, hoping she wasn’t talking too much.<br />
<br />
“Safer? That’s a strange word to use. I’m your husband. Why do you need
to keep your feelings safe from me?” A smile lifted the corners of his
lips, but his eyes searched hers.<br />
<br />
Waiting to find the right words, she was grateful when his phone
alerted him of a new message. Distracted, he turned to his own computer
and began to peck away.<br />
<br />
Guilt stiffened her. I’m sorry, she thought. The excuse was true — it
just wasn’t the whole truth. Conscience prickling, she shifted a glance
at the doorway, expecting to see her husband’s frame shadowed there. Her
eyes drew back to the computer, and she started the mail client. She
watched the software whirr into view. Swallowing a gush of water, she
willed the process faster, sighing aloud when mail finally began its
descent into her inbox.<br />
<br />
She didn’t know what had possessed her to do it. She hadn’t even thought about him in years.<br />
<br />
At loose ends after completing a writing project for class, she tapped the name into the search box.<br />
<br />
D-e-r-r-i-c-k T. J-a-s-p-e-r-s-o-n.<br />
<br />
Her heart quickened when a dizzying number of links filled the screen.
That he had done well for himself, was now a professor at a large
university and a published writer, she knew — she just hadn’t realized
how much he’d accomplished. Probing the pages, she paused and tapped a
link. Colorful illustrations of figures holding trombones framed a web
page heralding “The Effect of Jazz on Culture,” his latest book, hailed
by Academic Press as “well-written dialogue about the importance of the
distinctly black music’s effect on culture and society as a whole.” She
clicked a link to an NPR interview but, startled by the sound of his
voice, tapped the site closed and logged off.<br />
<br />
Recalling the deepness of his tone made her heart race faster, and
suddenly heat roared through her body with such ferocity that it sent
her scurrying to slide open the terrace door, where she leaned against
the frame and let the breeze cool her. Though weeks had passed since she
looked him up, she could almost smell Derrick’s cologne as she pictured
his horn-rimmed gaze staring at her from the web page. He had matured,
but his features hadn’t changed much. Clicking one link after another,
she had read about him. She studied photos, his face, the shape of his
hands, the angles of his body.<br />
<br />
Afraid to allow herself to think, she had quickly tapped a link, and
the mail client churned into action. The untitled message window sprang
to life and waited silently.<br />
<br />
She had hesitated.<br />
<br />
Then her fingers tapped the keys. I don’t know if you remember me.
Fingers trembling now, she added, We went to college together. She
hurriedly clicked in her name and tapped send.<br />
<br />
Shivering, she pushed the patio door closed, and drifted to the couch,
draping a worn plaid blanket around her shoulders before dropping onto a
chair in front of her computer.<br />
<br />
Every morning, she admonished herself for rushing to check her e-mail,
yet swallowed disappointment when none of the incoming messages flooding
her box bore his name. Throughout the day, she stiffened each time the
alert sounded, but only junk mail, correspondence, and notes from the
social site she used to communicate with the girls slid into her box.<br />
<br />
“I’m being silly,” she told herself before swallowing a stream of
water. “He probably doesn’t even remember me.” As the words left her
lips, the alert sounded, and the address on the downloaded note seemed
to shout: D. T. Jasperson, Ph.D. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">( Continues... )<br />
<br />
Copyright © 2014 by Cheri Paris Edwards. All rights reserved. Book
excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Cheri Paris Edwards. This
excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy
or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright
infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the
author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="font-size: 18px;">Something About April (The Jeffersons-Volume 2)</span></b></span><br />
<strong>Read more about the series: </strong></span><strong><a href="http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#%21books/cnec"><span style="color: black;"> http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#!books/cnec</span></a></strong><span style="color: black;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheri-Paris-Edwards/e/B002I5X2WI/"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="28" src="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/picts/amazonquick.gif" width="176" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Intimate Conversation with Cheri Paris Edwards</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/NewReleaseSidebar/cheriparisedwardsmes.jpg" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Cheri Paris Edwards</b>
is a writer and educator originally from East Central Illinois, and now
living in Denton, Texas. Cheri is the author of 3 novels, “Plenty Good
Room,” “The Other Sister” and “Something About April.” Cheri was an
instructor at North Central Texas College and is now a Teaching
Assistant at Texas Woman’s University where she will complete a Master’s
Degree in English this summer. In the fall, Cheri will be a Teaching
Fellow at The University of North Texas where she will begin work on her
PhD in English with a focus on American Literature.</span><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458710" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Something About April</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></b><span style="color: black;">is
the second novel in a planned series of four books about the midwestern
Jefferson family introduced in The Other Sister. In this fast-paced
story focus shifts to older characters, and moves from the conversation
of faith to the daily struggles of the Jefferson family and their
friends as they strive to meet life's challenges.<br />
<br />
Edwards is the mother of adult sons, Charles and Sam, and a toy poodle
named Mocha. She lives sin Denton, Texas where she's at work on Book III
of the Jefferson stories, Music in the Night.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: What motivated you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?</b><br />
The catalyst for the story was a personal experience that happened
several years ago. I looked up an old friend from college, who responded
with a note and an old photo of myself that brought on a rash of
unexpected emotions. After thinking about the story a while, I began
working on the manuscript shortly after I’d moved to Texas about 3 years
ago. It was a tumultuous time and writing helped calm me. I’d left my
two part-time jobs, because I couldn’t do them anymore, then my mother
passed, and I somewhat impulsively packed my 3-bedroom townhouse into a
storage unit, loaded all that I could and my doggie Mocha into my car
and traveled through the pouring rain to get here to Texas. It was tough
start in recreating a life for myself here, and I typed the beginnings
of this story seated on the floor of my apartment because I had no
furniture other than an inflatable mattress and some odds and ends I’d
collected for about a year and half.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?</b><br />
My upbringing inspires me to write about families like those I knew and
the diversity I’ve experienced in my background and life. This story
could be described as multicultural although the primary characters are
black. Moving here to Texas has influenced me as well, prompting me to
include even more to include diversity in my characters, because the
friendships and relationships I see here are definitely diverse.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven? </b><br />
I think my books are character and plot driven. I’m definitely invested
in the characters, and I try to present them as full-bodied
individuals. However, I am equally concerned with the plot and the
structure of the story. Sometimes I’m working from inspiration that may
have been a catalyzing moment or even a song. My interest is in how
characters’ choices create drama and challenges in their lives and how
the consequences of their choices affect them (and their family and
friends in some instances) and how they handle those effects.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider
your book? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?</b><br />
My current work is </span><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458710" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"> Something About April</span></a>.
It is the second Jefferson story and the focus is two characters who
had limited exposure in the first story. The genre is woman’s
contemporary, multicultural/African-American general fiction. To some
the story may have a chick-lit feel, because there’s definitely humor,
but the writing is not the traditional chick-it first-person and the
overall themes are not as lighthearted. Though father James Jefferson is
a pastor by vocation, there is no Christian focus.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special? </b><br />
This family is interesting to me, because they seem to have little
dysfunction. But, as we get to know them better, they’re inner struggles
and idiosyncrasies are revealed. My background and life (especially as
an adult) has been much more complex than the Jeffersons, but I believe
its true that everyone has struggles and often react to life’s
challenges in similar ways.<br />
<br />
<i>James Jefferson </i> – is the father who is driven by his own humble
beginnings by a need to give back to the community and take care of his
family, so he’s a bit of a social activist with a pulpit. He defines
himself as “project boy” and he is the son of single mother who
struggled to raise him and a sister. A promising athlete, he grew up in
the church, and his faith and the church became a respite leading him to
eventually followed become a minister. Faith Community is not a
mega-church but does have a thriving congregation. He also owns and
sells real estate, and while not wealthy, has provided a middle-class
lifestyle for his family.<br />
<br />
<i>Lena Jefferson</i> – is his wife who spent much of her life shaping
herself into the person she thought a minister’s wife should be. She
served as part-time church secretary, and was a homemaker. Now that her
daughters are adults and living on their own she’s left with a void in
her life.<br />
<br />
<i>Carla Jefferson</i> – is the older Jefferson daughter who’s always
tried to do the right thing. She’s a bit of a perfectionist, a school
administrator at a charter middle school who has felt eclipsed by her
younger, athletic sister Sanita who is also more outgoing. In the first
story, she had been on a few dates with ex-pro basketball player
Terrence Catchings who fell head over heels for Sanita when she returned
to town.<br />
<br />
<i>Sanita Jefferson</i> – the younger Jefferson sister, who also is an
ex-athlete. Poor decisions while she was away from home, put her both
her health and freedom at risk, but with a cleared slate, she is
rebounding, living on her own now and taking courses at the community
college.<br />
<br />
<i>Marcella Lewiston</i>- is the well-dressed church founder’s daughter who’s in everyone’s business, critical of everybody and annoys everyone. *LOL*<br />
<br />
<i>Denesha Lewiston</i> – schoolteacher, best friend to Sanita and Marcella’s daughter.<br />
<br />
We learn more about James and Lena in this story and Lena’s attorney
friend Nadine, Javier Quintero, and Mandy who is Carla’s good friend are
introduced in this book.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: What topics are primarily discussed in the series? Did you learn anything personal from writing your book? </b><br />
The Jefferson stories will eventually grow to four novels that reflect a
season in the life of this family, although artistic license allows
that the seasons aren’t necessarily in succession and it’s not
necessarily just a year that’s covered. The first book took place
autumn, and this book is set in spring. The rebirth of nature that
happens in spring reflects in blossoming romance for one character, and
themes of rediscovery, renewal and rejuvenation thread through the
story. The romantic story is a multi-cultural one and stirs questions
about prejudice, and unreal expectations.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career?</b><br />
A success for me is just finishing a book, which is no easy feat,
because writing and revising is ongoing and takes great swaths of time,
discipline and effort. The second is publishing it, which is just as
difficult. I decided to self-publish this time (I fell into it last
time) and that made the process an even more challenging experience.
Putting works into the world for others to read carries responsibility
and it’s not a venture that I take lightly.<br />
<br />
My goal is to keep on writing. As a graduate student and instructor, I
have a full plate in the other parts of my life, but creative writing
gives balance for my life. It was my fiction writing that landing me
back in college and having the ability to structure fiction writing has
impoved my effectiveness as an academic writer.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t
included? How can readers discover more about you and your work?</b><br />
Readers may find out more about my books at my website:
http://www.cheriparisedwards.net, where they can also friend me on
Facebook, and follow me at Blogger and Twitter. Read more about the
series: </span><a href="http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#%21books/cnec"><span style="color: black;"> http://www.cheriparisedwards.net/#!books/cnec</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;"><b>The Other Sister (The Jeffersons) (Volume 1)</b><br />
Link: </span><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458702"><span style="color: black;"> http://amzn.com/0991458702</span></a><span style="color: black;"> <br />
<br />
<b>Something About April (The Jeffersons) (Volume 2)</b><br />
Link: </span><a href="http://amzn.com/0991458710"><span style="color: black;"> http://amzn.com/0991458710 </span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheri-Paris-Edwards/e/B002I5X2WI/"><span style="color: black;"> <img border="0" height="28" src="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/picts/amazonquick.gif" width="176" /> </span></a></span></span><br />
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-73033729651066774282014-06-26T10:35:00.003-04:002014-06-26T10:35:23.968-04:00Blue Butterfly by Marian L. Thomas<div align="center">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 28px;"><b>Blue Butterfly by Marian L. Thomas</b></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><img alt="" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/bluebutterfly6xxxl.jpg" style="height: 683px; width: 449px;" /></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 26px;"><b>Is the World Ready for a Black Ballerina?</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong><br />Precious Blue Johnson</strong>,
young, country and naive, from Lutts County, Georgia, is traveling to
the energizing city of New York to search for her birth father and
perhaps make history by becoming the first black ballerina. Her simple
mocha skin and thick lips will put her in the center of a movement,
expose secrets and unlock the past as she steps onto the stage as the <strong>Blue Butterfly</strong>.<br />
<br />
She will be guided by the vivacious and wise<strong> Ms. Ann</strong> and fall in love with the alluring<strong> Ray Silvers</strong>.
Ray brings the whole package. Enchanting eyes, a bright future as a
doctor, and a willingness to love completely. To Precious, he is
perfect. Except Ray’s package includes his deadly past.<br />
<br />
<b>Will their love survive the one person who could end it all—his drug-addicted mother?</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><b>Excerpt Blue Butterfly by Marian L. Thomas<br />
<br />
Chapter One</b></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">They
say on the night that I was born June 30, 1969 the fringes of the moon
could be seen peeking out through the thin layers of the clouds. They
say that the rain had done come down so hard it felt like something was
tearing away at your soul, drop by drop. They say my mama was laying in
the birthing room screaming because I was ripping her life away from
her. They say that the doctors wanted to cut away at her tummy, but she
had done plain-out refused. She was an ebullient woman, with the heart
of an unbreakable but beautiful stallion.<br />
<br />
I ain't never seen the woman with eyes so blue they felt like they
could reach down into the pit of your core and tell you about yourself. I
ain't never seen the warmth of her smile or the way she could soothe my
daddy with her kind-hearted words. People talk under their breath about
her. Talk about how long her silky blond hair was or how thin and soft
her frame was. I do alls I can when I hear them whispering about the
woman who gave her life so I could dance in the rain on a hot summer
day.<br />
<br />
Just before she took her last breath they say that she stared into my
eyes and smiled because I done come into the world with what she thought
was the better part of her. The one feature that my daddy loved the
most. She was the one who placed the weight of my name upon me. Precious
Blue Johnson, but everyone around here in Lutts County, Georgia, fixed
my name at Precious.<br />
<br />
<br />
My dear, sweet Daddy is a tall, well-stocked-around-the-tummy man. I
heard that back in his heyday he sported a nicely trimmed frame of six
feet, two inches. That his hair used to be slicked back so perfectly
there wasn't a black woman in Lutts County that wasn't dying to give it a
coat or two of sweet brown sugar with the very tips of their
hard-worked fingers.<br />
<br />
His shoulders hang now sometimes, but that wasn't always the case. No,
it be said that when Charles Johnson used to walk down these dirt-filled
roads, his shoulders stood towering with an air of confidence that one
could breathe in from a mile away.<br />
<br />
Once upon a time, it be rumored that his hazel brown eyes were fixed on
singing his way out of Lutts County. They still talk about this fact in
the rooms of their barely-able-to-stand homes, where they figure can't
nobody hear them but God. Whispering under the dim lights about how it
is such a shame that he wasted his talent on a white woman.<br />
<br />
There are nights when I would wonder what his voice must have sounded
like. I would hear him humming sometimes, but I ain't never heard the
sound of butter flowing from his lips.<br />
<br />
That's what they say he sounded like.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">( Continued... )<br />
<br />
© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the
author, Marian L. Thomas. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the
author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious
offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a
link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sneak
peek.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: navy;"><b>Kindle Edition -- Purchase Blue Butterfly by Marian L. Thomas</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Butterfly-Marian-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00JETDF5A"><span style="color: black;">http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Butterfly-Marian-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00JETDF5A</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: navy;"><b>Print Edition -- Purchase Blue Butterfly by Marian L. Thomas</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Butterfly-Marian-L-Thomas/dp/0984896759"><span style="color: black;">http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Butterfly-Marian-L-Thomas/dp/0984896759</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><b>About the Author</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Clean Fiction novelist <b> Marian L. Thomas</b>
is a dynamic storyteller with four engaging and dramatic novels to her
credit. Her books have been seen on national television stations and
featured in print magazines and newspapers. She has also been a guest on
many broadcast and online radio stations. Her titles “My Father’s
Colors” and “Strings of Color” both received the USA Best Book Finalist
Award.<br />
<br />
What makes her books unique? Mrs. Thomas might be the first
African-American pioneer of contemporary women’s clean fiction. She
refuses to lace her work with explicit sexual themes or profanity. Ms.
Thomas’ books are rich with ever-intriguing themes of race, family
strife, love, divorce, friendship and abuse. And yet her tales, which
seem to pre-stage current tabloid headlines, are spelled out in ways
that suit the delicate moral tastes of both the Christian Fiction reader
and the Clean Fiction book reader.<br />
<br />
Ms. Thomas resides in a suburb of Georgia with her husband, family and
dear friends. Visit the author's media room for Blue Butterfly at: </span><a href="http://www.marianlthomasmediaroom.net/"><span style="color: black;">http://www.marianlthomasmediaroom.net</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><strong>Breaking Shackles of Discrimination for Black Ballerinas</strong></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span itemprop="name"><img alt="" height="387" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/bluebutterawer3.jpg" width="640" /></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Blue Butterfly a heart-touching story about discrimination for black ballerinas.</span></span></span></span></strong></h1>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span itemprop="articleBody">When
the word ballerina is heard, it invokes the image of beautiful and
radiant white woman dancing in the most graceful manner. Our mind never
imagines black women as ballerinas, they are more likely to be thought
of as hip-hop dancers, but not ballerinas. However, breaking through
these shackles of racial discrimination, there have been five ballerinas
in the world that have carved a niche for themselves and made a
noticeable mark on the ballerina stage. </span>They have managed to
change the world’s perception about their art, convincing people to see
their talent and not the color of their skin: Raven Wilkinson, Lauren
Anderson, Tai Jimenez, Aesha Ash, and Misty Copeland. <u>Blue Butterfly</u> by Marian L. Thomas is a novel inspired by these strong women’s determination and talent.<br /><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><span style="color: black;">Taking
inspiration from these brave and beautiful black ladies, award-winning
fiction writer Marian L. Thomas has come up with her most awaited novel,
</span><a class="extlink" href="http://www.marianlthomasmediaroom.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Blue Butterfly"><span style="color: black;">Blue Butterfly</span></a><span style="color: black;">-
a heart-touching story about a black girl (Precious Blue Johnson) that
fights all odds in order to become a ballerina in a time when most
people can only imagine white women in the famous leotard and tutu. </span></span><span style="color: black;">It
is a novel about a young girl, Precious Blue Johnson, who leaves Lutts,
Georgia for New York with a big dream in her heart: she wants to make
history as the world’s first black ballerina.<span itemprop="articleBody">
During her journey, Precious meets the wise Ms. Ann, and falls in love
with the very handsome Ray Silvers. While the stage for a heart-warming
love story appears to fall in place, her real struggle will not be of
the heart. It will be fought in the world of ballet, as Precious sets
out find a place to hang her own pair of pointe shoes and perhaps become
the first black ballerina.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="color: black;">However,
she will soon realize that the world might not be ready for a black
ballerina. On her journey to success, she will face many obstacles, make
friends and enemies, and even find true love. Ray Silvers is a handsome
man with the most gorgeous eyes Blue has ever seen. He is also going to
become a brilliant doctor, and he is willing to love her completely.
Nothing will stand in the way of their love, not even his dark past and
his drug-addicted mother. Together, Blue and Ray can accomplish
anything.</span><br />
<br />
<span itemprop="articleBody"><span style="color: black;">It is fitting that </span><a class="extlink" href="http://www.marianlthomasmediaroom.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Blue Butterfly"><span style="color: black;">Blue Butterfly</span></a><span style="color: black;">
is set to release on 4th April, 2014, the anniversary of the day that
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. His fight for freedom and
equality provide the back drop to the story. Marian shows how his death
reaches into the heart of Anya Duport, a beautiful and young white
ballerina who struggles to carve out her own sense of what freedom
means.</span></span></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span itemprop="articleBody"><a class="extlink" href="http://www.marianlthomasmediaroom.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Blue Butterfly"><span style="color: black;">Blue Butterfly</span></a><span style="color: black;">
will no doubt trigger strong emotions of romance, love, family,
forgiveness, friendship and even the harsh reality of betrayal. This is
the reason why <u>Blue Butterfly</u> is being eagerly awaited by fiction lovers around the world.</span></span><span style="color: black;"> <span itemprop="articleBody"><u>Blue Butterfly</u>
will be released in a digital and print edition on April 4, 2014. It
will be available for purchase through online retailers and bookstores
nationwide.</span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-4605394715311785812013-09-19T12:15:00.000-04:002013-09-19T12:15:43.184-04:00The Blindsided Prophet by Sonja Lewis<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><b>The Blindsided Prophet by Sonja Lewis</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">"Daughter, you have given birth to a child who will<br />
see many things beyond what the rest of us see." </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">1980.
Coffee, Georgia. A mass killing in a church claims the lives of twelve
people. Isaiah Brown, a fourteen-year-old prophet, fails to predict the
massacre, in which his mother and grandfather die. After the killings, a
blind and traumatized Isaiah flees the scene, disappearing into the
woods.<br />
<br />
Fifteen years later, at God's bidding, and able to see again in all
senses, Isaiah returns to Coffee, to make reparation and free himself
from his past.<br />
<br />
There, he finds the people of Coffee on the brink of an even worse
trauma than that experienced in 1980. Can Isaiah discover what was
behind the original tragedy, and why he didn't foresee the event? Will
he be able to prevent another impending tragedy? Or will he be
blindsided by his love for one woman?<br />
<br />
The Blindsided Prophet explores man's relationship with God and its
effect on daily living. Also, the novel examines beliefs and values at
the deepest level, as well as how they shape our thoughts, ideas, and
experiences.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Available at most online retailers as a printed book or ebook, including: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-blindsided-prophet-sonja-lewis/1115516866">Barnes&Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sonja-Lewis/e/B007AIROKO">Amazon.com </a> | <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319583">Smashwords </a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984671-the-blindsided-prophet">GoodReads </a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-blindsided-prophet">Kobo</a> | <a href="https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sonja-lewis/the-blindsided-prophet/_/R-400000000000001057402">Sony</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-blindsided-prophet/id656834707?mt=11">iTunes UK</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><b><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 1</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="" height="396" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/BlindsidedProphetLewiewr3e.jpg" width="292" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The
tall man freed himself of his friend’s hand on his shoulder and walked
ahead. The shorter one stared at him for a few seconds, his cigar
between his lips, and then he followed. Lydia waited until they were on
the porch. They lingered there for longer than she wanted them to, both
taking off their hats and looking out over the land. She moved back
further behind the tree, and held her breath; when she thought they were
inside, she shot back towards the woods. In her haste to get out of
there, she slammed into a white boy, knocking him to the ground.<br />
<br />
She tried to keep going, but he caught her leg, tripping her to the ground, too.<br />
<br />
"Hey," he said, "who are you? Why are you trespassing on my property?"<br />
<br />
She was just trying to free herself, but she noticed that his voice was
distinctly southern and more refined than the other two men’s. When she
finally stopped struggling and looked back, she was moved by his
frightened green eyes in a way she had not been expecting. She seemed to
have the same effect on him. He released her.<br />
<br />
"You remind me of somebody," he said.<br />
<br />
"Yeah, right," she said.<br />
<br />
Still he gazed at her until she felt hot and uncomfortable. She lowered
her eyes and pushed herself up to her feet. He stood, too, and brushed
off his suit. Though he wasn’t even as tall as she was, he was quite
handsome, with a head full of hair the color of hers. It was parted to
one side.<br />
<br />
"Who are you?" she asked.<br />
<br />
"That's what I want to know about you."<br />
<br />
"I come from the other side of the woods," she said.<br />
<br />
“A colored preacher lives on the other side of the creek,” he said, squinting.<br />
<br />
This word “colored” stirred her violently, always did, even when her
daddy referred to himself as colored. Wasn’t everybody colored? She
swung around and walked off.<br />
<br />
He ran behind her. "Whoa!"<br />
<br />
"Whoa is for mules," she said.<br />
<br />
"You are about as stubborn as one." He jumped into her path. “Why you mad?”<br />
<br />
"If you don't know, that's your problem—not mine!"<br />
<br />
“It ain’t safe for you to be hanging out in these woods,” he said.<br />
<br />
“And why is that?”<br />
<br />
"I told you that you're trespassing." He scratched his head. She knew
what he was thinking, but he didn’t have the guts to say it, so she said
it for him.<br />
<br />
"I am not afraid of the Ku Klux Klan." She swung her blondish brown hair around. "Why should I be?"<br />
<br />
“You say your daddy is a colored man,” he said. “That means, ah . . .”<br />
<br />
“Jess,” a man called out. “Jess, Uncle Rodney is about to head on back."<br />
<br />
The look in his eyes had tensed up again. “You better go on,” he said.<br />
<br />
She tore off running. She didn’t look back until she was on the other
side of the creek. Her shoes were now ruined because she forgot to take
them off at the creek. Her heart was hammering. Jess—his name was Jess.
Was that short for Jesse? She turned thoughts of him over and over. She
had never felt so mesmerized in the presence of a boy. She wondered if
she would ever see him again. Would she pluck up her nerve to go back
and seek him out? Suddenly she thought of her father. She would have to
settle for thinking about Jess, hold him in her heart, for she could not
go back to the other side of the woods. Not ever.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">( Continues... )<br />
<br />
Copyright © 2013 by Sonja Lewis. All rights reserved. Book excerpt
reprinted by permission of the author. This excerpt is used for
promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the
publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious
offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really
like this promotional excerpt.</span></span></span><br />
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<div style="font-size: 16pt;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Where to Buy The Blindsided Prophet</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.com/B00D09DD7A" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://amzn.com/B00D09DD7A</a> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Smashwords: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319583" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319583</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 14px;">The Blindsided Prophet is available at online retailers as a printed book or ebook: </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-blindsided-prophet-sonja-lewis/1115516866">Barnes&Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sonja-Lewis/e/B007AIROKO">Amazon.com </a> | <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319583">Smashwords </a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17984671-the-blindsided-prophet">GoodReads </a> | <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-blindsided-prophet">Kobo</a> | <a href="https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/sonja-lewis/the-blindsided-prophet/_/R-400000000000001057402">Sony</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-blindsided-prophet/id656834707?mt=11">iTunes UK</a></span></span></span></div>
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-44863241345454436702013-09-19T12:13:00.003-04:002013-09-19T12:20:09.313-04:00Intimate Conversation with Sonja Lewis<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><b>Intimate Conversation with Sonja Lewis</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img alt="" src="http://ellacurry2009.audioacrobat.com/files/images/SonjaLewisblkihh.jpg" style="height: 238px; width: 191px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><br />Author of The Barrenness, <b>Sonja Lewis</b>
has appeared on CNN and The Tom Joyner Morning Show. She has also been
featured in Black Enterprise, and in the media in Canada and the United
Kingdom. A former reporter for The Albany Herald (Georgia), Sonja has
also written for British newspaper The Guardian. Currently, she writes a
blog for the Huffington Post, UK. A member of the Society of Authors,
Sonja lives in London with her husband, Paul.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?</b><br />
Yes, when I was a girl I loved nothing more than to make up stories
for my youngest sister, though I didn’t write them down. I named the
characters, described them and acted them out. When I think back, I
absolutely loved the free thinking, no rules just creativity. My first
real writing assignment came with a state-wide contest when I was a
tween. What a tree means to me? I won and have been hooked since.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of your family.</b><br />
My church, the Spring Creek Missionary Baptist Church, a small church
in Leary, GA. There I gained confidence by writing the church history,
speeches, the weekly announcements and very theatrically delivering
these pieces. And wonderfully, the people embraced me, encouraged me,
said I had something special even when I read in Sunday School.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: What does growth mean to you?</b><br />
I feel I’ve grown when I learn from a mistake or a challenge and move
on, when I am able to take from the past, let it go; and abide in the
present and imagine the future positively. That to me is exponential
growth.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Introduce us to your book,</b></span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"> <b>The Blindsided Prophet,</b> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><b> and the main characters. What makes each one special? Do you have any favorites?</b><br />
The Blindsided Prophet is the story of a modern day prophet who is
caught unawares by a tragic event when he is a teenager. This alters his
life forever. Fifteen years later, at God’s bidding Isaiah Brown
returns to Coffee, GA, to unravel the tragedy, make reparation and
prevent an even worse tragedy.<br />
<br />
The main character, Isaiah Brown, is probably my favorite because he
is original. I don’t know anyone like him. Naturally, he had to come
from somewhere so I must have drawn on characteristics of some of the
world’s great people, some perhaps renown. In any case, he is unique. He
is a modern-day prophet.<br />
<br />
Also, I favor Mae Cook as she is so very much like many people I
know—well meaning, good to the core, but gets it wrong a lot of times.
At middle age, she learns valuable life lessons. Through Mae, we see
that it is never too late to grow-up.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: What drew you to tackle the questions or topics in The Blindsided Prophet?</b><br />
My faith, I suppose is the short answer. I remember being called
arrogant once by a young preacher when I talked of my own personal
relationship with God. I wanted to show that faith is not just about
religion, it is about dwelling/residing within yourself if you will.
Deep within you meet God as and when you please. You just have to focus.
There, you find the answers.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Does your faith or education inspire your writing?</b><br />
Yes, my faith does. I think Christianity is misunderstood often but
not just in non-Christian countries but right here at home. People are
turned off by these people who profess to know this Christ but He
doesn’t always show up in our attitudes, in the way we live etc…<br />
<br />
With my first book a Christian radio announcer cancelled the interview
at the last minute because she found profanity in the book. Sorry but
there is profanity in life and I try to create a real picture, if you
will. I totally respect that it was not the book for her and her
audience, but I didn’t have a lot of time for her assumption that she
had inside information with God that I didn’t have, and that she was
living more purely than I, if you will. I somehow doubt it. But if she
is, good for her but don’t judge.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?</b><br />
A spell bounding read that stays with them for a very long time.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: How do you feel about e-books vs print books?</b><br />
I prefer print books to touch them, to smell them, to read them and I
always will but e-book readers, particularly the Kindle, have a place in
our world. I love being able to access endless books and take countless
reads on holiday, the train, etc… But if I had to choose, I’d choose
print books every time. Now my business sense says that might be the
wrong choice, but it is what I think.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: Do you think book sales are the only indicator of your success as a writer?</b><br />
No, I don’t. I do think sales are a huge indicator, but for example,
with my first novel, The Barrenness, I had a campaign that took the lid
off a very important social issue—a woman being fulfilled without
becoming a mother. One of my goals was to start a worldwide
conversation about the topic. I’d like to think that I played a role in
all the attention that subsequently came to the subject.<br />
<br />
<b>BPM: My writing offers the following legacy to future readers....</b><br />
The legacy of taking responsibility for one’s own thoughts and
learning how to find peace within through changes one’s thinking.</span></span><br />
</div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Connect with Sonja at: sonja@sonjalewis.com or visit her website: www.sonjalewis.com</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SonjaLewis">https://twitter.com/SonjaLewis</a><br />
Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4783226.Sonja_Lewis">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4783226.Sonja_Lewis</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonja-Lewis/175892332464961">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonja-Lewis/175892332464961</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;">
</span>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-73143421499813241082012-09-06T10:49:00.005-04:002012-09-06T10:50:54.723-04:00EDC Creations 2012 Holiday Party<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>EDC Creations <span style="font-size: x-large;">2012</span> Holiday Party</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>You Are Invited!</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b></span></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Tis the season to mix and mingle</b></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLsraaBDzI4/UEikDlG-kiI/AAAAAAAADNs/Er02Og05h2Q/s1600/huythgfytghyu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLsraaBDzI4/UEikDlG-kiI/AAAAAAAADNs/Er02Og05h2Q/s640/huythgfytghyu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lets start afresh and celebrate</b><br />The end of an awesome year<br />Lets greet the next one<br />With festivities and cheer.<br /><br /><b>Let us raise a glass</b><br />to the coming New Year.<br />We’ll toast to the holidays<br />with friends and good cheer!<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">Join us for networking, holiday music and book giveaways!<br />We want to show our appreciation toward our loyal readers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Ella is makin' a list…<br />and checkin’ it twice<br />Join us if you’re naughty or nice<br />Good friends are the best gifts of the holidays!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Residence Inn Greenbelt</b></span><br /><b>Saturday, December 22, 2012</b><br />Party: 7:00 pm -11:00 pm EST<br />Attire: Casual Chic - Sexy Yet Classy<br /><br /><b>6320 Golden Triangle Drive</b><br />Greenbelt, MD 20770 <br />Complimentary on-site parking<br /><br /><b>Subway Station</b><br />Greenbelt Metro Station 3 mile(s)<br />Cabs available from Metro<br /><br /><b>Train Station</b><br />New Carrollton Amtrak Station 8 mile(s)<br />Cabs available from Metro</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Good friends are the best gifts of the holidays! Purchase several tickets for family and friends. Please share this link on your Facebook and Twitter pages. We are giving away 200 wrapped gifts to our guests! Books...what better gift for the holidays!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://edclitevents.ticketleap.com/2012holidayparty" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Purchase Tickets Here Today!</b></span></a></span></span></div>
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Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-39502125868130028462011-10-14T15:24:00.000-04:002011-10-14T15:24:35.915-04:00Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0758238614&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe </span></strong><br />
Prequel to the Upper Room<br />
<br />
<strong>If you are a fan of Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston, you will love Mama Ruby and the writings of Mary Monroe! </strong><br />
<br />
New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable tale featuring Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room. Now readers will get a peek into Ruby’s early years, as she transforms from a spoiled small-town girl into one of the South’s most notorious and volatile women…<br />
<br />
Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she’s fifteen, Ruby has developed a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and not even her preacher daddy can set her straight. Most everyone in the neighborhood knows you don’t cross Ruby. Only Othella Mae Cartier, daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick. <br />
<br />
When Ruby discovers she’s in the family way, she’s scared for the first time in her life. After hiding her growing belly with baggy dresses, Ruby secretly gives birth to a baby girl at Othella’s house. With few choices, Othella talks Ruby into giving the child away and with the help of a shocking revelation, convinces Ruby to run off with her to New Orleans. <br />
<br />
But nothing can erase Ruby’s memories of the child she lost or quell her simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby go. If there’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare, Ruby is surely treading it. Because someday, there will be a reckoning. And when it comes, Othella will learn the hard way that no one knows how to exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9Nkm9Forc/TeM4OEt5PtI/AAAAAAAADLs/iGcNxfYNJTM/s1600/mamarubybevelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9Nkm9Forc/TeM4OEt5PtI/AAAAAAAADLs/iGcNxfYNJTM/s1600/mamarubybevelf.jpg" t8="true" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt from Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe</span></strong></div><strong>Mama Ruby - Coming June 1, 2011! </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>How did Ruby and Othella Mae come to be who they are today? </strong>Find out in the exciting prequel to The Upper Room. There’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare…but there will be a reckoning....<br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Introduction to Mama Ruby </strong>Prequel to The Upper Room<br />
<br />
Originally published in 1985, Mary Monroe's engaging debut novel, The Upper Room, features Ruby Montgomery, an obese, indomitable character who steals her best friend's baby daughter and flees to rural Florida, where she establishes herself as an almost mythical figure. The dialogue and setting are reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston. The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is a candid portrayal of the cold-blooded yet fascinating Mama Ruby. <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>~ Shreveport, Louisiana, 1934 ~</strong><br />
<br />
Nobody ever had to tell Ruby Jean Upshaw that she was special, but she heard it from every member of her family, her father’s congregation, her classmates, and even the people in her neighborhood almost every day. She was the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. To some black folks, that was a very high position on the food chain. It meant that she had mystical abilities usually associated with Biblical icons. But as a child, Ruby didn’t care one way or the other about being “special” like that. <br />
<br />
She balked when people insisted that she’d eventually have “healing hands” and the ability to “predict the future” like other seventh daughters of seventh daughters. But Ruby didn’t care about healing anybody, that was God’s job, and those snake oil salesmen who rolled through town from time to time. And she certainly didn’t want to be telling anybody what the future held for them. Because if it was something bad, they didn’t need to know, and she didn’t want to know. <br />
<br />
The bottom line was, and she’d told a lot of people this when they brought it up, she didn’t want those responsibilities. The last thing she needed cluttering up her life was a bunch of superstitious people taking up her time, and drawing unwanted attention to her. Just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a burden. <br />
<br />
And since Ruby was the youngest member of the Upshaw family, her parents watched her like a hawk, and tried to monitor and control most of her activities. “Why do I have to go to church every Sunday?” she asked her mother one Sunday morning when she was just eight. “I want to have some fun!”<br />
<br />
“You go to church because you are supposed to, gal. How would it look to the rest of your Papa’s congregation if his own daughter don’t come to church?” Ida replied, giving Ruby a stern look. “Don’t you want to be saved?”<br />
<br />
“Saved from what, Mama?” Ruby questioned, looking out of the living room window at the kids across the street building a tent in their front yard. <br />
<br />
“Saved from the world, worldly ways. This planet is full of all kinds of pitfalls out there waitin’ on a girl like you. Drinkin’. Men with more lust in their heads than brain matter. Violence. Loud music and sleazy outfits that would shock a harlot,” Ida answered.<br />
<br />
Ruby already knew all of that. From what she’d been able to determine; it was a lot more fun to be “worldly” than it was to be the way her parents wanted her to be. “I want to have some fun like the rest of the kids!” she pouted, knowing that she faced a no-win situation. Her parents’ minds were as nimble as concrete. Once they laid down the rules for Ruby, there were no exceptions.<br />
<br />
“You can still have fun and keep yourself virtuous,” her father insisted. “Me and Mother ain’t makin’ you do nothin’ we didn’t make your sisters do, and look how well they all turned out.”<br />
<br />
Ruby pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Before they got married, all six of her older sisters snuck out of the house at night, drank alcohol, slept with men, and wore clothes that would shock a harlot. That was the life that Ruby thought she wanted, and she had already started on the journey that would lead her to a life of fun and frivolity. And as far as violence, she wondered what her over bearing, but naïve, parents would say if they knew that she was already carrying a switchblade in her sock.<br />
<br />
Ruby made good grades in school and she had a lot of friends, but it was hard for her to maintain both. She didn’t like to study, and she didn’t like having to attend that run down school four blocks from her house. Those activities took up too much of her time. She appreciated the fact that her classmates and playmates were at her beck and call, not because they liked her, but because they feared her. They all knew about that switchblade she carried in her sock, and they all knew that she was not afraid to use it. She was the most feared eight-year-old in the state.<br />
<br />
(continued)<br />
<br />
<br />
© 2011 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author and the publisher, Kensington Publishing Group. This excerpt has been adapted for Internet viewing. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmGC8srQqGE/TeM4YYr8nyI/AAAAAAAADLw/As8LVSn4dcc/s1600/marymonroehighres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmGC8srQqGE/TeM4YYr8nyI/AAAAAAAADLw/As8LVSn4dcc/s200/marymonroehighres.jpg" t8="true" width="161" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span></strong><br />
<strong>Mary Monroe</strong> is the author of the award-winning, New York Times bestselling God series, which includes God Don’t Like Ugly and God Ain’t Blind. Mary Monroe is the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of her family to finish high school. One of her proudest moments was when she became a winner of the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award.She is currently celebrating the release of Mama Ruby, the prequel to the Upper Room, the book that started it all. She still writes seven days a week and gets most of her ideas from current events, and the people around her, but most of her material is autobiographical.<br />
ry Monroe currently lives in Oakland, California. She is divorced, loves to travel, loves to mingle with other authors, and she'll read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. <strong>Author website:</strong> <a href="http://www.marymonroe.org/">http://www.marymonroe.org/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe </span></strong><br />
Hardcover: 336 pages <br />
Publisher: Dafina (May 31, 2011) <br />
ISBN-10: 0758238614 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-0758238610 <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blackexpressions.com/fiction-&-literature-books/urban-fiction-books/mama-ruby-by-mary-monroe-1071380360.html"><strong>Purchase from Black Expressions</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Mama-Ruby/Mary-Monroe/e/9780758272065/"><strong>Download to NOOK Book (eBook)</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_692524365"><strong>Download to KINDLE</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-80375146115773211812011-05-30T02:32:00.000-04:002011-05-30T02:32:31.431-04:00Book Alert: Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0758238614&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe </span></strong><br />
Prequel to the Upper Room<br />
<br />
<strong>If you are a fan of Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston, you will love Mama Ruby and the writings of Mary Monroe! </strong><br />
<br />
New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable tale featuring Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room. Now readers will get a peek into Ruby’s early years, as she transforms from a spoiled small-town girl into one of the South’s most notorious and volatile women…<br />
<br />
Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she’s fifteen, Ruby has developed a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and not even her preacher daddy can set her straight. Most everyone in the neighborhood knows you don’t cross Ruby. Only Othella Mae Cartier, daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick. <br />
<br />
When Ruby discovers she’s in the family way, she’s scared for the first time in her life. After hiding her growing belly with baggy dresses, Ruby secretly gives birth to a baby girl at Othella’s house. With few choices, Othella talks Ruby into giving the child away and with the help of a shocking revelation, convinces Ruby to run off with her to New Orleans. <br />
<br />
But nothing can erase Ruby’s memories of the child she lost or quell her simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby go. If there’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare, Ruby is surely treading it. Because someday, there will be a reckoning. And when it comes, Othella will learn the hard way that no one knows how to exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9Nkm9Forc/TeM4OEt5PtI/AAAAAAAADLs/iGcNxfYNJTM/s1600/mamarubybevelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AK9Nkm9Forc/TeM4OEt5PtI/AAAAAAAADLs/iGcNxfYNJTM/s1600/mamarubybevelf.jpg" t8="true" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt from Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe</span></strong></div><strong>Mama Ruby - Coming June 1, 2011! How did Ruby and Othella Mae come to be who they are today? </strong>Find out in the exciting prequel to The Upper Room. There’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare…but there will be a reckoning....<br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Introduction to Mama Ruby </strong>Prequel to The Upper Room<br />
<br />
Originally published in 1985, Mary Monroe's engaging debut novel, The Upper Room, features Ruby Montgomery, an obese, indomitable character who steals her best friend's baby daughter and flees to rural Florida, where she establishes herself as an almost mythical figure. The dialogue and setting are reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston. The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is a candid portrayal of the cold-blooded yet fascinating Mama Ruby. <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>~ Shreveport, Louisiana, 1934 ~</strong><br />
<br />
Nobody ever had to tell Ruby Jean Upshaw that she was special, but she heard it from every member of her family, her father’s congregation, her classmates, and even the people in her neighborhood almost every day. She was the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. To some black folks, that was a very high position on the food chain. It meant that she had mystical abilities usually associated with Biblical icons. But as a child, Ruby didn’t care one way or the other about being “special” like that. <br />
<br />
She balked when people insisted that she’d eventually have “healing hands” and the ability to “predict the future” like other seventh daughters of seventh daughters. But Ruby didn’t care about healing anybody, that was God’s job, and those snake oil salesmen who rolled through town from time to time. And she certainly didn’t want to be telling anybody what the future held for them. Because if it was something bad, they didn’t need to know, and she didn’t want to know. <br />
<br />
The bottom line was, and she’d told a lot of people this when they brought it up, she didn’t want those responsibilities. The last thing she needed cluttering up her life was a bunch of superstitious people taking up her time, and drawing unwanted attention to her. Just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a burden. <br />
<br />
And since Ruby was the youngest member of the Upshaw family, her parents watched her like a hawk, and tried to monitor and control most of her activities. “Why do I have to go to church every Sunday?” she asked her mother one Sunday morning when she was just eight. “I want to have some fun!”<br />
<br />
“You go to church because you are supposed to, gal. How would it look to the rest of your Papa’s congregation if his own daughter don’t come to church?” Ida replied, giving Ruby a stern look. “Don’t you want to be saved?”<br />
<br />
“Saved from what, Mama?” Ruby questioned, looking out of the living room window at the kids across the street building a tent in their front yard. <br />
<br />
“Saved from the world, worldly ways. This planet is full of all kinds of pitfalls out there waitin’ on a girl like you. Drinkin’. Men with more lust in their heads than brain matter. Violence. Loud music and sleazy outfits that would shock a harlot,” Ida answered.<br />
<br />
Ruby already knew all of that. From what she’d been able to determine; it was a lot more fun to be “worldly” than it was to be the way her parents wanted her to be. “I want to have some fun like the rest of the kids!” she pouted, knowing that she faced a no-win situation. Her parents’ minds were as nimble as concrete. Once they laid down the rules for Ruby, there were no exceptions.<br />
<br />
“You can still have fun and keep yourself virtuous,” her father insisted. “Me and Mother ain’t makin’ you do nothin’ we didn’t make your sisters do, and look how well they all turned out.”<br />
<br />
Ruby pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Before they got married, all six of her older sisters snuck out of the house at night, drank alcohol, slept with men, and wore clothes that would shock a harlot. That was the life that Ruby thought she wanted, and she had already started on the journey that would lead her to a life of fun and frivolity. And as far as violence, she wondered what her over bearing, but naïve, parents would say if they knew that she was already carrying a switchblade in her sock.<br />
<br />
Ruby made good grades in school and she had a lot of friends, but it was hard for her to maintain both. She didn’t like to study, and she didn’t like having to attend that run down school four blocks from her house. Those activities took up too much of her time. She appreciated the fact that her classmates and playmates were at her beck and call, not because they liked her, but because they feared her. They all knew about that switchblade she carried in her sock, and they all knew that she was not afraid to use it. She was the most feared eight-year-old in the state.<br />
<br />
(continued)<br />
<br />
<br />
© 2011 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author and the publisher, Kensington Publishing Group. This excerpt has been adapted for Internet viewing. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmGC8srQqGE/TeM4YYr8nyI/AAAAAAAADLw/As8LVSn4dcc/s1600/marymonroehighres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmGC8srQqGE/TeM4YYr8nyI/AAAAAAAADLw/As8LVSn4dcc/s200/marymonroehighres.jpg" t8="true" width="161" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span></strong><br />
<strong>Mary Monroe</strong> is the author of the award-winning, New York Times bestselling God series, which includes God Don’t Like Ugly and God Ain’t Blind. Mary Monroe is the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of her family to finish high school. One of her proudest moments was when she became a winner of the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award.<br />
<br />
She is currently celebrating the release of Mama Ruby, the prequel to the Upper Room, the book that started it all. She still writes seven days a week and gets most of her ideas from current events, and the people around her, but most of her material is autobiographical.<br />
<br />
Mary Monroe currently lives in Oakland, California. She is divorced, loves to travel, loves to mingle with other authors, and she'll read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. <strong>Author website:</strong> <a href="http://www.marymonroe.org/">http://www.marymonroe.org/</a> ; <strong>Video link:</strong> <a href="http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/mary-monroe.aspx">http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/mary-monroe.aspx</a> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe </span></strong><br />
Hardcover: 336 pages <br />
Publisher: Dafina (May 31, 2011) <br />
ISBN-10: 0758238614 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-0758238610 <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blackexpressions.com/fiction-&-literature-books/urban-fiction-books/mama-ruby-by-mary-monroe-1071380360.html"><strong>Purchase from Black Expressions</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Mama-Ruby/Mary-Monroe/e/9780758238610/"><strong>Purchase on Barnes & Noble Today!</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Mama-Ruby/Mary-Monroe/e/9780758272065/"><strong>Download to NOOK Book (eBook)</strong></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Ruby-Mary-Monroe/dp/0758238614"><strong>Purchase on Amazon Today!</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_692524365"><strong>Download to KINDLE</strong></a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-17444936819248737802011-02-28T01:33:00.003-05:002011-02-28T01:36:20.026-05:00Meet Life Changing Books Authors<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Meet Life Changing Books Authors<br />
and the CEO Azarel Smallwood</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dv4WcsJFDxA/TWs1-f6coAI/AAAAAAAADLQ/uDtzkPxWz0Y/s1600/lifechanging2011banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" l6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dv4WcsJFDxA/TWs1-f6coAI/AAAAAAAADLQ/uDtzkPxWz0Y/s400/lifechanging2011banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><br />
Life Changing Books</strong>, better known as LCB, established in 2003 is quickly becoming one of the most respected Independent Trade Publishers amongst chain stores, vendors, authors and readers. LCB offers a variety of African-American literature including Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Urban/Street Literature, Erotica, and a host of other fiction categories. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">CEO, Azarel, launched the company with the release of her self-published title, A Life to Remember, and from there she has continued to add best selling authors onto her label. Currently, LCB has sixteen authors and offers outside distribution to selective projects. The success of LCB is a team effort combined with our outgoing authors, and management team. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As of 2008, LCB has joined forces and constructed progressive relationships with both wholesale and retail establishments across the United States of America and abroad. We’ve topped the charts with some of our Essence Magazine best-selling titles such as Millionaire Mistress, Secrets of a Housewife, Bruised 2, and Deep. In addition, LCB is progressive in contributing to children in need. Visit the Life Changing Books Website: <a href="http://www.lifechangingbooks.net/">http://www.lifechangingbooks.net/</a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Life Changing Books presents 4 Urban Literature Sensations!</b> </div><div style="text-align: left;">View the interviews, videos and book excerpts here: <a href="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/lcbauthors.html">http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/lcbauthors.html</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Video Introduction: One Night Stand by Kendall Banks</b><object height="405" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tsRBYKSjz4g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tsRBYKSjz4g?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="405"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Video Introduction: Snitch by VegasClarke</b><br />
<object height="349" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7Kpm7OtNYY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7Kpm7OtNYY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="349"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Video Introduction: The Dirty Divorce 2 by Miss KP</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><object height="390" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yzfmr9pg_RY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yzfmr9pg_RY?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="390"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Video Introduction: Money Maker by Tonya Ridley</b><br />
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Purchase all the books from the Publisher's website - <a href="http://www.lifechangingbooks.net/">http://www.lifechangingbooks.net/</a> </strong><br />
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</div>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-36447965567997861252010-12-16T22:50:00.002-05:002010-12-16T22:50:48.342-05:00True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks</span></strong><br />
<br />
<div align="left"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1601622392&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Twenty-eight year old Kennedy Logan is gorgeous, educated, talented, and in love. Unfortunately, Drake Collins has other ideas about the true state of their relationship. Kennedy hopes to turn him around; Drake just wants to turn her out sexually. Kennedy is also searching for her biological mother, who gave her up at birth. She wants answers and she has tons of questions. The enormous weight of these predicaments leads to a failed suicide attempt.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Her overprotective and overbearing mother, Dorothy Logan, moves in with Kennedy and makes it her mission to get her daughter's life back in order. The first step is getting rid of Drake Collins once and for all, but that's easier said than done. Drake has no intentions of going anywhere. Kennedy's ever loyal and fun-loving best friend, Taylor, and her absentee father join forces to help support Kennedy in her time of need.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">At her psychiatrist's advice, Kennedy uses writing as her therapy. She starts to keep a daily journal detailing the erotic circumstances and family drama that led up to her despair. Through very personal, funny, and graphic entries, readers will share her confessions. Brace yourselves for a very steamy journey!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Prologue True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Erotic Fiction)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My reality is surreal and happens in super, slow motion. A nervous giggle escapes my chapped, dry and parched lips. I lick them to restore moisture. Then, there is utter, deadly silence. If I listen closely, I can hear my heartbeat beating away at an accelerated pace. My senses are heightened and I marvel over the brilliant, bold colors of my bedroom as I inhale my favorite fragrances, from their spot on my antique dresser, colliding into one another with their potent allure. Even my sense of touch is different somehow. Everything is magnified to the nth degree. It’s like I’m looking down at myself from a huge movie screen with surround sound as I ready myself for the big finale---the final shot and then fade to black.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I’ve never been good at saying goodbye, even on short, weekend trips. I keep the handwritten note short and sweet and pray to God that mother will understand, and hopefully, one day, forgive me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I don’t mean to hurt her or cause her any fresh pain. I sincerely don't. I hope she understands that this isn't her fault, that I love her with all my heart and being. No matter what, that fact will never change. I’m so thankful and forever grateful that she chose me to be her daughter out of all the orphaned babies in the world. She chose me. I told myself over and over again that that made me special. I needed to feel special instead of unwanted and discarded.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I’ll miss mother the most, but the hurt I feel inside is too unbearable and indescribable. It is too painful for me to continue, day in and day out, with just a hollow emptiness that erodes and corrupts any happiness that briefly surfaces. The dawn of each new day only brings me more heartache and renewed memories. Some memories are like leeches. They latch on for dear life and slowly, ever so slowly, suck and drain all the blood, all the living out of you. You are left with just a shell of the old you and that's no way to survive. Not for me, anyway.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When they find me, I want it to look like I’m sleeping, peacefully. Just like Sleeping Beauty who only needed a handsome prince to kiss her and awaken her from the darkness that engulfed her. However, for me, there won't be a handsome, charming prince to wake me, save me, and ride off into eternity. All my so-called princes were monsters in disguise with their own hidden agendas that attempted to crush and stamp out my self-esteem. Yes, just blessed sleep awaits me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I chose pills. I couldn’t subject mother to a messy, bloody scene that comes with slitting one’s wrists or shooting one's self. I refuse to take my final breath with that heavy on my heart. I don't think my heart could handle anything else weighing against it. As it is, I feel like I have three hundred pounds weighing me down. Crushing the life out of me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As I settle myself comfortably on my queen-size bed, slowly pull the red, satin comforter up to my chin and stare at the full bottle of prescription pills carefully nestled in my right hand, I can’t imagine not waking up in the morning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What will it be like to not see the rising sun? To not hear my alarm clock going off announcing it’s time to get ready for another day of work? Not hitting snooze to give myself another fifteen minutes? Not rushing to finish my morning rituals before I dash out the door and into rush-hour traffic? What will that feel like? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">More important to me now, though, is will it hurt? I hope not. I have never been able to tolerate too much pain, physical, mental or emotional. Yet, that’s what Drake has caused me for the last year of my life. Pain. Intolerable suffering. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I only wanted to love him and for him to love me in return. Simple enough. Was that asking too much? My part of the equation was accomplished, effortless. Drake claimed he loved me, but he really didn’t. Probably never could. Didn't know how to love or receive it. After what happened last week, I know he didn’t. Yet, I gave him everything: my heart, my body, my soul. Now, I have nothing left to give myself. I'm empty inside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As tears slowly flood my weary eyes and blur my vision, I look around my cozy bedroom for the last time. Ever. It used to be one of my favorite rooms in my small two bedroom, one bath apartment. There was nothing better than lighting several fragrant candles, drinking a little white wine and cozying up with a good romance novel. Yes, that was heaven. Simple things excite me. Always have. Watching a sunrise or sunset, waking up to birds chirping in the treetops, walking hand in hand through the park with the one I love, all these things brought me great joy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mother will have to understand. I left her a note, propped up on the nightstand, in full view, that explains how much I love her and daddy. What will she think when she can’t reach me tonight? I would love to hear her soothing, loving voice one last time. Yet, I know I wouldn’t be able to go through with my plan if I did. I’d give away my intentions over the phone or mother would pick up on my foul mood and that would be that. I’d wake up another day with this aching, dull pain inside, tearing me apart, bit-by-bit. Pain that dulls and diminishes every ounce of my strength, all the way down to my pores. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Drake Collins. His name leaves a bitter taste on my tongue. Just the thought of him brings bile to the back of my throat. I will forever regret the day I met that man. If I could turn back the hands of time, do it all over again, I would have called in sick that day or run for the hills. I was just fine with my life the way it was. Sure, it wasn’t exciting or glamorous, but it was enough for me. Drake came with the charm, movie star looks, glitz and high drama and reeled me right in like a bass caught at sea. I gladly jumped into his net.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I say a silent prayer of forgiveness as I place one, then two colorful pills on my tongue and swallow dry. I didn't think of getting a glass of water. I can't think. The lump in my throat quickly diminishes. There’s no turning back now. Just like there was no turning back when Drake turned me out. The countdown begins. Ten, nine, eight. . . I've lived a happy life. I have tons of good memories. I've treated others the way I wanted to be treated.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope this happens quickly. I steadfastly place three, four pills on my tongue and swallow again. Hot tears start to spill forth and stream down my cheeks as I realize the final result of my actions. Seven, six, five. . . It’s for the best. I need to stop the pain. Will he even miss me? Or will he just move on to his next victim? Will all this be in vain?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I guess I’ll never have that family now. The one I used to daydream and write about in my journal. The family with the almost perfect mommy and daddy and two kids, a boy and girl. The boy would be the oldest, and he'd look out for and protect his younger sister. They'd have cute, adorable names and they'd know they were wanted and loved and cherished by their parents. They'd never feel unwanted.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Four, three. . . I swallow a handful of pills this time. I've lost count as to how many I've digested. As spittle escapes from my mouth, I gag. I wipe the overflow away with the back of my hand and keep right on shoving pills in my mouth until the orange-brown medicine bottle is empty. I look inside, in awe, shake the bottle, and can’t believe the pills are gone so quickly. Just like the illusion of love. If you blink, you'll miss it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I wonder if Drake even realizes how much I loved him? Now, I wait for blessed relief and peace to take away my hurt and pain. I’m so tired. Tired of loving the wrong men. Tired of giving my all, coming up empty, and getting absolutely nothing back in return. Good sex isn’t the end all to everything. Drake taught me that lesson. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Two, one. . . It won’t be long now. I faintly smile and lay back against my down pillow. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I welcome peace. In my mind, I start silently repeating Psalms 23. I shall walk through the valley of death; I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me. I’m so sleepy. I can barely keep my eyes open. I can feel myself giving in to the fog that slowly invades my mind. Maybe if I close my eyes for a few moments. Yeah, just rest them for a few minutes without seeing Drake’s face behind my heavy eyelids. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Suddenly, I feel lightheaded, like I’m floating on a big, fluffy white cloud, bouncing up and down, giddy with not a care in the world. This is a different sensation that I literally reach out my right hand to embrace and never let go of. Not a care in the world. Nothing matters but blessed, uneventful sleep. I close my tired, weary eyes as the countdown ends. Fade to black.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">###</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">ISBN-10: 1601622392 </div><div style="text-align: left;">ISBN-13: 978-1601622396 </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Purchase from Amazon.com</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/True-Confessions-Electa-Rome-Parks/dp/1601622392">http://www.amazon.com/True-Confessions-Electa-Rome-Parks/dp/1601622392</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Purchase from Barnes & Noble.com</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/True-Confessions/Electa-Rome-Parks/e/9781601622396">http://search.barnesandnoble.com/True-Confessions/Electa-Rome-Parks/e/9781601622396</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">© 2010 All rights reserved. Book Excerpt Reprinted by Permission of Electa Rome Parks, author. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sample from True Confessions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TQrbnviEZZI/AAAAAAAADJM/7V8C0n6MsxM/s1600/1electaparks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TQrbnviEZZI/AAAAAAAADJM/7V8C0n6MsxM/s1600/1electaparks.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>About the Author</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Electa Rome Parks lives</strong> outside Atlanta, Georgia and is the best-selling author of six acclaimed novels, The Ties That Bind, Loose Ends, Almost Doesn't Count, Ladies' Night Out, These Are My Confessions (anthology) and Diary of a Stalker. Dubbed a "book club favorite," avid readers have embraced Electa's true to life characters that tackle prevalent and heavy hitting issues that take them on an emotional roller coaster.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The self-proclaimed Queen of Real, Electa has been a frequent guest on radio shows, nominated for many industry awards and interviewed by numerous newspapers and national magazines. Electa is currently following her passion and working on her next novel and first screenplay.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Connect with Electa Rome Parks online at:</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">Email: <a href="mailto:novelideal@aol.com">novelideal@aol.com</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Website: <a href="http://www.electaromeparks.com/">http://www.electaromeparks.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/electaromeparks">www.facebook.com/electaromeparks</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-31388616045412906212010-11-18T10:04:00.000-05:002010-11-18T10:04:26.811-05:00Prologue True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1601622392&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks</strong></span><br />
<br />
Twenty-eight year old <strong>Kennedy Logan</strong> is gorgeous, educated, talented, and in love. Unfortunately, <strong>Drake Collins</strong> has other ideas about the true state of their relationship. Kennedy hopes to turn him around; Drake just wants to turn her out sexually. Kennedy is also searching for her biological mother, who gave her up at birth. She wants answers and she has tons of questions. The enormous weight of these predicaments leads to a failed suicide attempt.<br />
<br />
Her overprotective and overbearing mother, <strong>Dorothy Logan</strong>, moves in with Kennedy and makes it her mission to get her daughter's life back in order. The first step is getting rid of Drake Collins once and for all, but that's easier said than done. Drake has no intentions of going anywhere. Kennedy's ever loyal and fun-loving best friend, Taylor, and her absentee father join forces to help support Kennedy in her time of need.<br />
<br />
At her psychiatrist's advice, Kennedy uses writing as her therapy. She starts to keep a daily journal detailing the erotic circumstances and family drama that led up to her despair. Through very personal, funny, and graphic entries, readers will share her confessions. Brace yourselves for a very steamy journey!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Prologue True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks</span></strong><br />
(Erotic Thriller)<br />
<br />
My reality is surreal and happens in super, slow motion. A nervous giggle escapes my chapped, dry and parched lips. I lick them to restore moisture. Then, there is utter, deadly silence. If I listen closely, I can hear my heartbeat beating away at an accelerated pace. My senses are heightened and I marvel over the brilliant, bold colors of my bedroom as I inhale my favorite fragrances, from their spot on my antique dresser, colliding into one another with their potent allure. Even my sense of touch is different somehow. Everything is magnified to the nth degree. It’s like I’m looking down at myself from a huge movie screen with surround sound as I ready myself for the big finale---the final shot and then fade to black.<br />
<br />
I’ve never been good at saying goodbye, even on short, weekend trips. I keep the handwritten note short and sweet and pray to God that mother will understand, and hopefully, one day, forgive me. <br />
<br />
I don’t mean to hurt her or cause her any fresh pain. I sincerely don't. I hope she understands that this isn't her fault, that I love her with all my heart and being. No matter what, that fact will never change. I’m so thankful and forever grateful that she chose me to be her daughter out of all the orphaned babies in the world. She chose me. I told myself over and over again that that made me special. I needed to feel special instead of unwanted and discarded.<br />
<br />
I’ll miss mother the most, but the hurt I feel inside is too unbearable and indescribable. It is too painful for me to continue, day in and day out, with just a hollow emptiness that erodes and corrupts any happiness that briefly surfaces. The dawn of each new day only brings me more heartache and renewed memories. Some memories are like leeches. They latch on for dear life and slowly, ever so slowly, suck and drain all the blood, all the living out of you. You are left with just a shell of the old you and that's no way to survive. Not for me, anyway.<br />
<br />
When they find me, I want it to look like I’m sleeping, peacefully. Just like Sleeping Beauty who only needed a handsome prince to kiss her and awaken her from the darkness that engulfed her. However, for me, there won't be a handsome, charming prince to wake me, save me, and ride off into eternity. All my so-called princes were monsters in disguise with their own hidden agendas that attempted to crush and stamp out my self-esteem. Yes, just blessed sleep awaits me. <br />
<br />
I chose pills. I couldn’t subject mother to a messy, bloody scene that comes with slitting one’s wrists or shooting one's self. I refuse to take my final breath with that heavy on my heart. I don't think my heart could handle anything else weighing against it. As it is, I feel like I have three hundred pounds weighing me down. Crushing the life out of me.<br />
<br />
As I settle myself comfortably on my queen-size bed, slowly pull the red, satin comforter up to my chin and stare at the full bottle of prescription pills carefully nestled in my right hand, I can’t imagine not waking up in the morning. <br />
<br />
What will it be like to not see the rising sun? To not hear my alarm clock going off announcing it’s time to get ready for another day of work? Not hitting snooze to give myself another fifteen minutes? Not rushing to finish my morning rituals before I dash out the door and into rush-hour traffic? What will that feel like? <br />
<br />
More important to me now, though, is will it hurt? I hope not. I have never been able to tolerate too much pain, physical, mental or emotional. Yet, that’s what Drake has caused me for the last year of my life. Pain. Intolerable suffering. <br />
<br />
I only wanted to love him and for him to love me in return. Simple enough. Was that asking too much? My part of the equation was accomplished, effortless. Drake claimed he loved me, but he really didn’t. Probably never could. Didn't know how to love or receive it. After what happened last week, I know he didn’t. Yet, I gave him everything: my heart, my body, my soul. Now, I have nothing left to give myself. I'm empty inside.<br />
<br />
As tears slowly flood my weary eyes and blur my vision, I look around my cozy bedroom for the last time. Ever. It used to be one of my favorite rooms in my small two bedroom, one bath apartment. There was nothing better than lighting several fragrant candles, drinking a little white wine and cozying up with a good romance novel. Yes, that was heaven. Simple things excite me. Always have. Watching a sunrise or sunset, waking up to birds chirping in the treetops, walking hand in hand through the park with the one I love, all these things brought me great joy. <br />
<br />
Mother will have to understand. I left her a note, propped up on the nightstand, in full view, that explains how much I love her and daddy. What will she think when she can’t reach me tonight? I would love to hear her soothing, loving voice one last time. Yet, I know I wouldn’t be able to go through with my plan if I did. I’d give away my intentions over the phone or mother would pick up on my foul mood and that would be that. I’d wake up another day with this aching, dull pain inside, tearing me apart, bit-by-bit. Pain that dulls and diminishes every ounce of my strength, all the way down to my pores. <br />
<br />
Drake Collins. His name leaves a bitter taste on my tongue. Just the thought of him brings bile to the back of my throat. I will forever regret the day I met that man. If I could turn back the hands of time, do it all over again, I would have called in sick that day or run for the hills. I was just fine with my life the way it was. Sure, it wasn’t exciting or glamorous, but it was enough for me. Drake came with the charm, movie star looks, glitz and high drama and reeled me right in like a bass caught at sea. I gladly jumped into his net.<br />
<br />
I say a silent prayer of forgiveness as I place one, then two colorful pills on my tongue and swallow dry. I didn't think of getting a glass of water. I can't think. The lump in my throat quickly diminishes. There’s no turning back now. Just like there was no turning back when Drake turned me out. The countdown begins. Ten, nine, eight. . . I've lived a happy life. I have tons of good memories. I've treated others the way I wanted to be treated.<br />
<br />
I hope this happens quickly. I steadfastly place three, four pills on my tongue and swallow again. Hot tears start to spill forth and stream down my cheeks as I realize the final result of my actions. Seven, six, five. . . It’s for the best. I need to stop the pain. Will he even miss me? Or will he just move on to his next victim? Will all this be in vain?<br />
<br />
I guess I’ll never have that family now. The one I used to daydream and write about in my journal. The family with the almost perfect mommy and daddy and two kids, a boy and girl. The boy would be the oldest, and he'd look out for and protect his younger sister. They'd have cute, adorable names and they'd know they were wanted and loved and cherished by their parents. They'd never feel unwanted.<br />
<br />
Four, three. . . I swallow a handful of pills this time. I've lost count as to how many I've digested. As spittle escapes from my mouth, I gag. I wipe the overflow away with the back of my hand and keep right on shoving pills in my mouth until the orange-brown medicine bottle is empty. I look inside, in awe, shake the bottle, and can’t believe the pills are gone so quickly. Just like the illusion of love. If you blink, you'll miss it.<br />
<br />
I wonder if Drake even realizes how much I loved him? Now, I wait for blessed relief and peace to take away my hurt and pain. I’m so tired. Tired of loving the wrong men. Tired of giving my all, coming up empty, and getting absolutely nothing back in return. Good sex isn’t the end all to everything. Drake taught me that lesson. <br />
<br />
Two, one. . . It won’t be long now. I faintly smile and lay back against my down pillow. <br />
<br />
I welcome peace. In my mind, I start silently repeating Psalms 23. I shall walk through the valley of death; I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me. I’m so sleepy. I can barely keep my eyes open. I can feel myself giving in to the fog that slowly invades my mind. Maybe if I close my eyes for a few moments. Yeah, just rest them for a few minutes without seeing Drake’s face behind my heavy eyelids. <br />
<br />
Suddenly, I feel lightheaded, like I’m floating on a big, fluffy white cloud, bouncing up and down, giddy with not a care in the world. This is a different sensation that I literally reach out my right hand to embrace and never let go of. Not a care in the world. Nothing matters but blessed, uneventful sleep. I close my tired, weary eyes as the countdown ends. Fade to black.<br />
<br />
(continues in the book)<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_277275255">True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks </a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/True-Confessions/Electa-Rome-Parks/e/9781601622396">Order your copy today!</a></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>© 2010 All rights reserved. Book Excerpt Reprinted by Permission of Electa Rome Parks, author. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sample from True Confessions.</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TOU_FmiATxI/AAAAAAAADFc/7fRKnTm7H84/s1600/ElectaRomebiosm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TOU_FmiATxI/AAAAAAAADFc/7fRKnTm7H84/s1600/ElectaRomebiosm.jpeg" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span></strong><br />
<strong>Electa Rome Parks</strong> lives outside Atlanta, Georgia and is the best-selling author of six acclaimed novels, The Ties That Bind, Loose Ends, Almost Doesn't Count, Ladies' Night Out, These Are My Confessions (anthology) and Diary of a Stalker. Dubbed a "book club favorite," avid readers have embraced Electa's true to life characters that tackle prevalent and heavy hitting issues that take them on an emotional roller coaster.<br />
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The self-proclaimed Queen of Real, Electa has been a frequent guest on radio shows, nominated for many industry awards and interviewed by numerous newspapers and national magazines. Electa is currently following her passion and working on her next novel and first screenplay.<br />
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<strong>Connect with Electa Rome Parks online at:</strong><br />
www.electaromeparks.com<br />
www.electaromeparks@blogspot.com<br />
www.facebook/electaromeparks.comElla D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-19455403065066477572010-11-18T09:19:00.003-05:002010-11-18T09:20:36.008-05:00Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships.<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships </span></strong></div><br />
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<strong><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0979045819&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=D79F47&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></strong><br />
<strong>Home Again</strong> is a compelling journey into the relationships that matter most: family, friends and self. Each story is founded on natural love, but will require the Father s love to heal the brokenness. Travel with husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, friends and families as they maneuver through life's hurts and betrayals while leaning on a power greater than themselves. <br />
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<strong>Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships <br />
by Wanda B. Campbell & Friends</strong><br />
Wanda B. Campbell is an extraordinary and talented writer who brings creativity, a new sense of hope, and restoration through the healing power of God to the Kingdom, by way of Christian fiction. She uses real life everyday issues to exhort, motivate, and give comfort. Currently, Wanda has three published novels: First Sunday in October, Illusions and Right Package, Wrong Baggage. Her fourth novel, Silver Lining is scheduled for August 2011. She is also the founder of Micah 6:8 Books, LLC.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Meet the Home Again Authors</span></strong><br />
Wanda B. Campbell (Author), Dijorn Moss (Author), Tyora M. Moody (Author), Trinea Moss (Author), Maurice Gray Jr. (Author), Shenette Jones (Author), Bernard Boulton (Author), Tavares S. Carney (Author), and Dr. Linda F. Beed (Author)<br />
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<strong>Tavares S. Carney</strong> uses her God-given talents to inspire, motivate and encourage others. She is the owner of Echelon Entertainment, an internet and social media promotion company, and the Founder of Echelon Book Club. She is married and the mother of two children. Tavares is a graduate of Davenport University and is currently matriculating toward a Masters degree in Secondary Teacher Education. In addition to reading and writing, her interests include event planning, traveling and listening to music. Contact Tavares at <a href="mailto:TavaresWrites@Yahoo.com">TavaresWrites@Yahoo.com</a> .<br />
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<strong>Maurice M. Gray, Jr.</strong> is the author of two novels, To Whom Much Is Given andAll Things Work Together and the owner of Write The Vision, Inc. His short story “Long Term” appears in The Soul Of A Man anthology. Maurice is an HIV Prevention Counselor for Beautiful Gate Outreach Center, where he educates people about HIV/AIDS. Maurice worships at Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, DE. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc and of Toastmasters International. He lives in New Castle, DE with his family.<br />
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<strong>Shenette Jones</strong> is mostly known for her vocal abilities. From classical to soulful jazz, Shenette displays a wide range of musical experience. She balances music endeavors with her other hidden passion: creative writing. Shenette has participated in writing clubs, poetry groups, and spoken word events throughout Memphis. Shenette has combined her writing and music and has created a theme song for the Home Again anthology. Married with two boys, Shenette Jones resides in North Carolina where she is a professional fitness trainer. “Uncovered” is her first published work.<br />
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<strong>Dijorn Moss</strong> holds a degree in English from San Jose State. He is the author ofMy Father’s House, which is available in stores now and The Retreat which will be released in December of 2010. He currently resides in Long Beach, California with his wife, Trinea. <br />
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<strong>Trinea Moss</strong> grew up in the Bay Area of Northern California. She graduated from Oceana High School in Pacifica, California. She obtained an Associate Arts Degree in Multimedia Communications and Presentations. Growing up Trinea enjoyed writing poems and short stories. When she met and married her husband Dijorn, she was truly introduced to writing. Since then Trinea has developed new skills and has paired that with her unique perspective to write “Couple On Trial”. She currently lives in Long Beach California with her son Caleb and husband Dijorn.<br />
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<strong>Bernard Boulton</strong> is the author of DO YOU WANNA BE MADE WHOLE? He is married to Vantoria Boulton and they are the parents of Bernard Quincy Boulton. He is the pastor of the New Mine Creek Church in Danville, VA. An avid reader from his childhood Bernard dreamed of the day when he would be an published author, a dream that has come to fruition. His writing mission is to encourage and entertain people with stories that speaks to mankind potential and purpose.<br />
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<strong>Dr. Linda Beed</strong> is a gifted educator, speaker and author of the award-winning novel, Business Unusual the first in the Covenant Series. The second installment, Not Your Own will release in 2011. Her leadership abilities and teaching prowess has made her an asset to such entities as the Faith Based Arts Conference, Romantic Times Convention, Romance Slam Jam, The Black Writers Reunion & Conference along with numerous other literary events. She is the co-moderator of BWChristianLit online writers group, the founder of the Damascus Road Authors and is a veteran Children’s minister. Linda lives in Seattle, WA with her family.<br />
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<strong>Tyora Moody</strong> is a writer, graphic designer and online book promoter. For over ten years, she’s specialized in marketing and design for authors and small businesses. Tyora is a member of Sisters in Crime (SinC) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She loves to read and write romantic suspense and cozy mysteries. Her short story, “Birthing Pains,” is included in the anthology Home Again: Stories of Restored Relationships.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Again-Stories-Restored-Relationships/dp/0979045819">Purchase Your Copy of the Book Today!</a></strong><br />
ISBN-10: 0979045819 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-0979045813Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-28352249666504633862010-11-18T09:07:00.002-05:002010-11-18T09:07:36.639-05:00Intimate Conversation with Gwynne Forster<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Intimate Conversation with Gwynne Forster </span></strong></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TOUv-o0J8_I/AAAAAAAADFU/_P-v0BMwrAs/s1600/gwynneforsterbiom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TOUv-o0J8_I/AAAAAAAADFU/_P-v0BMwrAs/s1600/gwynneforsterbiom.jpg" /></a></div><strong>Gwynne Forster</strong>, bestselling and award-winning author of When the Sun Goes Down, Blues from Down Deep, If You Walked in My Shoes, and A Different Kind of Blues, conjures a riveting story of fractured ties, secrets, and forgiveness in this powerful family drama in When the Sun Goes Down, the sequel to: If You Walked In My Shoes.<br />
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Gwynne Forster is a national best selling author of forty-five works of fiction, including her latest of nine mainstream novels, WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN. Gwynne is author of thirty-six romance novels and novellas, of which the latest novels are DESTINATION LOVE and YES, I DO. She has won numerous awards for fiction writing, including the Romantic Times 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, the Romance In Color Author of the Year award, the Gold Pen Award and has been inducted in the Affaire de Coeur Hall of Fame. <br />
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Gwynne loves to sing, read and listen to music, especially jazz, classical music, opera and blues. She also loves to sing and dance, and enjoys entertaining at small dinner parties. She lives in New York with her husband, who is her true soul mate. <br />
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<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/black-author-network/2010/10/21/evening-with-ella-series/">Listen to a lively interview with Gwynne Forster and BAN Radio host Ella Curry</a><br />
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<strong>BPM: Mrs. Gwynne, we are celebrating the holidays! What was your most memorable holiday from the past?</strong><br />
GF: My most memorable Christmas holiday was the first Christmas Eve that I spent with the man who is now my husband. I cooked a turkey, the first I'd ever cooked and, to my astonishment, it was a perfect bird. Many things happened that evening that we still joke about. We didn't know each other too well then, and we "tiptoed" around each other, each wanting to assure the other a happy Christmas and neither of us knowing how. We had a wonderful evening, singing, eating, listening to music, telling each other tall tales of our lives and, of course, exchanging gifts. I shall never forget it.<br />
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<strong>BPM: How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the traditions for your family?</strong><br />
GF: We celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve, always with a roast goose dinner and mounds of gifts around the Christmas tree. We began the Christmas Eve tradition when my step son--then a teenager--got his first girlfriend. Of course, he wanted to have Christmas dinner with her and her family. So we invited her for Christmas Eve, and he went to her family on Christmas day. We liked the custom. We open the gifts after dinner on Christmas Eve. One beauty of that is that I enjoy Christmas day with no work to do.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What are you most thankful for today? What does all your books have in common?</strong><br />
GF: I am most thankful for Jesus Christ in my life and for the health and well being of my family and myself.<br />
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GF: My books have different themes, but everyone of them demonstrates the importance of loyalty and common decency and the rewards of reaching for a higher goal. Website: www.gwynneforster.com<br />
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<strong><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0758246994&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=D79F47&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>BPM: Mrs. Gwynne please tell us about your latest release, <em>When the Sun Goes Down</em>.</strong><br />
GF: When the Sun Goes Down deals with the strengths and fragileness of relations among family members. When self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies, he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing will. The possible loss of a fortune only increases the existing tension between his three grown children. <br />
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While handsome slacker Edgar kicks back in anticipation of his windfall, middle child Gunther struggles to save his software business, and fiercely independent Shirley unsuccessfully tries to stay out of the fray. But things soon take an explosive turn. And as the siblings find themselves battling each other to protect their own interests, they’ll face choices that could bring them together at last—or tear them apart for good.<br />
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Caught in the middle of her brothers’ ill-will, and doing her best to keep the peace, Shirley is further unsettled when she falls for Carson Montgomery, the smart, sexy private investigator Edgar hires to tract down the will. And when Gunther suddenly falls ill, Edgar’s attempt to manipulate him causes a conflict of interest that will shock them all!<br />
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<strong>BPM: Are your characters a portrayal of real people?</strong><br />
GF: Not at all. Something about a person may give me an idea, but I invent my characters.<br />
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<strong>BPM: Who did you write When the Sun Goes Down for? Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?</strong><br />
GF: I wrote it for my readership. I thought that the women and men who have read my novels over the years would enjoy a frank discussion of some of the problems common among people of African descent. I’m not sure you’d call it a message, because I make it a policy not to preach to the reader. My first agent told me that it is a writer’s duty not only to entertain, but to inform. I’ve taken that advice seriously, and in every book that I write, whether mainstream fiction of a romance, I include some worthwhile information as a part of the story.<br />
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<strong>BPM: If you could change one thing you from your road to publication, what would you have done differently?</strong><br />
GF: I wouldn't have written a romance as my first book. I write mainstream fiction, and some of my books have won awards, but they are always judged as romances, because reviewers associate me with romance. And when they complain about something, it's usually what distinguished mainstream women's fiction from a romance.<br />
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<strong>BPM: Do you write full time? Describe your writing schedule for your readers.</strong><br />
GF: I write full time. I get up around seven-thirty and usually write from nine to about four Mondays through Fridays. Important errands may interfere with the schedule, but that’s basically it. I write after dinner for about two hours, unless my husband and I are going out or have guests. I often write on Saturdays after I’ve finished my shopping and errands. I don’t write on Sundays. I work in my office, and I don’t listen to the radio unless there’s a program of Mozart music.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What do your do when you’re not writing?</strong><br />
GF: In the summer, I’m an avid gardener. I love music—opera and classical music, classical jazz, blues, some Sinatra/Nat Cole type popular songs and a couple of old fashioned country singers. I enjoy entertaining at small dinner parties and consider myself a rather good cook. And, of course, I read.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What does your family think of your writing?</strong><br />
GF: My family consists of my husband and stepson. Both are very proud of my success as a writer and read my books. Although my husband is an academician and not a computer expert, he makes my fliers, brochures, and bookmarks and does an elegant job of it.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What two pieces of advice would you give to aspiring writers?</strong><br />
GF: Don't be disappointed by rejections. When you get one, clean up the manuscript and send it to the next editor on your list. The appraisal of fiction is, in some important aspects, highly subjective.<br />
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GF: Learn English grammar, and cultivate an extensive vocabulary so as to express yourself precisely as you intend. Write each day and, if possible at the same time. Try not to get a habit of procrastinating, and don’t rewrite until, say, you’ve at least written a chapter. It’s best to rewrite after you finish a first draft. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Join a writing group such as the local<br />
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RWA group and attend writing conferences whenever possible. Remember: if you write a page every day, at the end of a year you can have a book.<br />
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<strong>BPM: Thank you Mrs. Gwynne for joining us today! Readers you can find out more about Gwynne Forster and her books at: <a href="http://www.gwynneforster.com/">http://www.gwynneforster.com/</a> </strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">When the Sun Goes Down </span></strong><br />
ISBN-10: 0758246994 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-0758246998 <br />
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"When the sun goes down on my life, you'll all come apart like ripped balloons." -- widower Leon Farrell<br />
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When stingy self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies, he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing will. It's soon clear that his three grown children, Edgar, Gunther, and Shirley, don't handle loss well—the possible loss of a fortune, that is. And when Edgar hires a private investigator to track down the will, it's just the beginning of a search that will lead the siblings to re-visit their childhoods, uncover buried secrets, and ultimately learn for themselves what it means to be a family. For as tensions escalate between the brothers—with their peace-keeping sister caught in the middle—an unexpected conflict of interest is brewing that will shock them all—and either bring them closer together or tear them apart for good... <a href="http://search2.barnesandnoble.com/BookViewer/?ean=9780758246998">Peek inside the book and read excerpt chapters</a>!<br />
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<strong>Purchase your copy today. Give as a great holiday gift book!</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Goes-Down-Gwynne-Forster/dp/0758246994">http://www.amazon.com/When-Goes-Down-Gwynne-Forster/dp/0758246994</a><br />
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<strong>ALSO AVAILABLE NOW!</strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Once-in-a-Lifetime/Gwynne-Forster/e/9780373831944/?itm=10">Once in a Lifetime by: Gwynne Forster </a></strong><br />
ISBN-13: 9780373831944 <br />
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With a young daughter to support, recently divorced Alexis Stevenson jumps at the chance to become household manager for wealthy businessman Telford Harrington and his two brothers. Though she knows it won't be easy turning their bachelor-pad mansion into a home, she is determined to handle any obstacles, while maintaining a separate life for herself and her daughter. But Alexis isn't at all ready for the red-hot chemistry crackling between her and Telford—or the fact that she's suddenly caught in a maze of unexpected secrets and deep mistrust. But if she and Telford find their way through it—together—can they both embrace the love they so deeply desire?Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-78718099004366213272010-10-15T18:01:00.000-04:002010-10-15T18:01:36.087-04:00Raising Him Alone Parenting Workshops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLjPCuUj7_I/AAAAAAAADB4/Y9JrKD7C9sQ/s1600/raisinghimalonebanner0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="330" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLjPCuUj7_I/AAAAAAAADB4/Y9JrKD7C9sQ/s400/raisinghimalonebanner0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Raising Him Alone (RHA)</strong> is dedicated to researching, designing, and implementing a campaign to support the social well being of single mothers raising boys. Through a series of intense community forums, workshops and support group initiatives, RHA seeks to increase access to resources in the areas of Health & Well Being (Mental Health), Educational Support & Advocacy, as well as Financial Literacy. Listed below are a few of the workshops geared toward helping parents raise young boys into successful men! For a full listing of the event details visit: <a href="http://www.raisinghimalone.com/events.htm">http://www.raisinghimalone.com/events.htm</a><br />
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<strong>Workshop: Hands Off: Strategies to Combat Youth Violence and Bullying</strong><br />
Urban Leadership Institute (ULI) is a social enterprise based in Baltimore, Maryland. ULI focuses on leadership development by providing management, consultation services, program development, research and market analysis. We empower youth and adults to create and launch their own enterprises, and through these enterprises, to take greater responsibility for their lives and communities. View all of the events here: <a href="http://www.urbanleadershipinstitute.com/events.htm">http://www.urbanleadershipinstitute.com/events.htm</a><br />
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<strong>Oct 21, 2010 -- Hands Off: Strategies to Combat Youth Violence and Bullying</strong>8:30am-2:00pm<br />
1st District Plaza, 3801 Market Street<br />
Philadelphia, PA 19104 <br />
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<strong>During the retreat, participants were asked to talk about their collective missions to improve the life outcomes of black men and boys.</strong><br />
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<strong>Registration Includes: </strong><br />
* (1) full day of intensive training by International Training Specialists <br />
* Training handouts <br />
* National Training Certification upon completion <br />
* Continental breakfast and lunch <br />
* (4) CEUS for Social Workers <br />
* Copy of Hands Off: Strategies to Combat Youth Violence Curriculum <br />
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<strong>Join us in the Upcoming <em>Securing Our Sons</em> Workshops</strong><br />
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<strong>Wednesday, Nov 17, 2010<br />
Preparing Young Black Males for College</strong>(Understanding Your Son’s Learning Style)<br />
School District Bldg<br />
440 N. Broad Street | Philadelphia, PA 19130<br />
6:30pm – 8:00pm<br />
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<strong>Saturday, Dec 18, 2010<br />
Keeping Him Alive & Free<br />
Co-Parenting Young Black Males</strong>(Northwest Community Coalition for Youth)<br />
Imhotep Charter HS<br />
6201 N. 21st Street | Philadelphia, PA 19138<br />
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.<br />
Kwanzaa Celebration to Follow<br />
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<strong>Friday, March 25, 2011<br />
10 Rules of Survival When Stopped by the Police</strong>Special host organization: Institute for the Development of African-American Youth (IDAAY)<br />
Temple University<br />
1801 Broad Street | Philadelphia, PA 19122<br />
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.<br />
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<strong>Hosted by David Miller, co-author of Raising Him Alone</strong>Raising Him Alone is a source of inspiration for the millions of single mothers who struggle daily with the challenges of raising healthy and productive boys to become responsible men. The book is based on hundreds of interviews, focus groups, and discussions with single mothers who are raising boys. <br />
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In 1999 Miller co-founded the Urban Leadership Institute in Baltimore, which has developed an international reputation for providing professional development for organizations working with youth to address alternatives to a gang lifestyle and succumbing to peer pressure while promoting diversity and increasing academic achievement.<br />
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<strong>For more information on Raising Him Alone, the campaign schedule of events and resources visit, </strong><a href="http://www.raisinghimalone.com/"><strong>www.raisinghimalone.com</strong></a><strong>. </strong>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-13991975299372855612010-10-14T08:55:00.000-04:002010-10-14T08:55:28.229-04:00Book Tour: A Slip In The Right Direction by Rachel Berry<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">A Slip In The Right Direction -- Online Book Tour</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br />
Meet author Rachel Berry November 1-7, 2010 at your favorite social network!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLb1SYfpJ4I/AAAAAAAADBw/RcEtSL2YFfs/s1600/rachelberrybiomd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLb1SYfpJ4I/AAAAAAAADBw/RcEtSL2YFfs/s1600/rachelberrybiomd.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">EDC Creations and the Sankofa Literary Society are proud to announce the holiday virtual book tour for Rachel Berry, author of <em>A Slip in the Right Direction</em>. To learn more about Rachel’s virtual tour, visit her online at: <a href="http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/">http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Rachel Berry</strong> is a word-fairy that enjoys the craft of words that create and inspire life and people. As an author & poet Rachel feels blessed to have the creative opportunity of expression. Berry is also a motivational speaker, mentor, community leader, independent book publisher, entrepreneur, columnist for SORMAG, and host of From The Heart & Soul Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio. Author Rachel Berry is available for literary events, speaking engagements, tele-conferences, bookclub chats and interviews. Submit all requests to: <a href="mailto:rachelwrites2@yahoo.com">rachelwrites2@yahoo.com</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, adult children, grandchildren, and parents. Rachel puts family first and enjoys life in Virginia. When she's not writing, she also enjoys reading, dining out, traveling, and watching movies. She accredits her gain in blessings and achievements to her relationship and guidance from her creator, association with great women, positive family members, loyal friends, the upbringing of an amazing woman-her mother, and the support and love of her husband and children.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0982778201&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Featured YA Book: A Slip In The Right Direction </strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">by author and poet Rachel Berry</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>A Slip In The Right Direction</em></strong>, a coming-of-age story for tweens and teens. The story of life, puppy love, and lessons, as seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old young man coming-of-age in Chicago.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Homesick for his life and friends back home, a family move forces 14 year old Clifton Henderson, aka Slip, to grow up on the north side of Chicago. In his mind, life sucks at the moment and can't get any worse. But it does. A kidnapping by gang members, a crush on a girl playing hard to get, a strict father, a mysterious neighbor, and the gift of premonitions all help take him on a ride of life until eventually he takes <em>A Slip In The Right Direction</em>. ISBN-13: 978-0982778203 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slip-Right-Direction-Rachel-Berry/dp/0982778201">On sale now at Amazon</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>View Rachel Berry's Online Tour Schedule</strong> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Log into your favorite site to join the online book tour. Show your support for Rachel by leaving your comments and reviews on the threads. Tell at least 10 friends about Rachel and her new YA book. Give this young adult title as gifts this holiday season. Remember, Give the Gift of Knowledge! Thanks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 1, 2010 * Day 1 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Simply Said Reading Accessories blog</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://simplysaidreadingaccessories.blogspot.com/2010/10/win-review-copy-of-slip-in-right.html">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Sankofa Literary Review</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://blacklitmedia.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/intimate-conversation-with-author-rachel-berry">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Black Authors Network at Linkedin </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=163616&item=32124679&type=member">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•EDC Creations at CafeMom.com </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.cafemom.com/home/EDC1Creations">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 2, 2010 * Day 2 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Diva Clique Bookclub blog</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://divaclique.blogspot.com/2010/10/win-copy-of-slip-in-right-direction.html">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•EDC Virtual Book Tours</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/teen-gift-book-a-slip-in-the-right-direction-by-rachel-berry">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•People's Lounge Discussion</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://thepeopleslounge.ning.com/forum/topics/review-copy-giveaway-a-slip-in">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Black Authors Showcase</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://blackauthors.ning.com/profiles/blogs/intimate-conversation-with">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 3, 2010 * Day 3 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Black Authors Network Blog</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://profilesinblack.blogspot.com/2010/10/win-copy-of-slip-in-right-direction.html">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•EDC Creations Myspace Blog</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/edc1creations/blog?bID=538713722">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Short Books Showcase </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://shortbooks.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/teens-what-does-growing-up-or-coming-of-age-mean-to-you">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Women Supporting Each Other Essence Community </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://community.essence.com/group/womenupliftingeachother/forum/topics/parentteen-chat-what-does">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 4, 2010 * Day 4 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Book Club AOL Black Voices</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://conversations.blackvoices.com/book-club/6fa82df25584492298033cc12d49dc40/Conversation-w-author-Rachel-Berry/2fec36fd7da348278cfb4f1cf80dd7fa">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Single Parent's Circle at Black Planet Groups</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.blackplanet.com/groups/forum_thread.html?group_id=7089&cmt_collection_id=3861809">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•The Sisterhood at Linkedin </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=830517&item=32128369&type=member">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Essence Bookclub at Ning</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://community.essence.com/group/essencebooks/forum/topics/excerpt-from-ya-title-a-slip">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 5, 2010 * Day 5 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Raising A Strong Black Men at Black Planet Groups</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.blackplanet.com/groups/forum_thread.html?group_id=7814&cmt_collection_id=3861823">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Parenting AOL Black Voices</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://conversations.blackvoices.com/parenting/6559762ccaab44098bde85f9a31f9e3f/Conversation-w-author-Rachel-Berry/504f213960aa48e7af93634d416e7f8c">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Goodreads at Linkedin Groups</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=52768&item=32126891&type=member">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•The Motivation Station at Baisden iSeeColor </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.iseecolor.com/group/askamyceoconsultant/forum/topics/teens-7-ways-to-get-your">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 6, 2010 * Day 6 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•SORMAG BOOKS at Shelfari</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/groups/11704/discussions/277657/Book-Intro-(YA)-A-Slip-In-The-Right-Direction">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•SistahFriend Book Club at Shelfari</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/groups/12916/discussions/277658/For-Teens-What-Does-Growing-Up-Or-Coming-Of-Age-Mean-To-You-">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Diva Readers at Shelfari</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/groups/22783/discussions/277665/Book-Excerpt-A-Slip-In-The-Right-Direction-(YA)-by-Rachel-Berry">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Pen to Pad Writers at Baisden iSeeColor </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.iseecolor.com/group/pentopad/forum/topics/writer-tips-building-colorful">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Nov. 7, 2010 * Day 7 -- A Slip In The Right Direction Tour</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•African American Literature at Shelfari</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/groups/13893/discussions/277653/Intimate-Conversation-with-author-Rachel-Berry">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•SLS Paradigm Shift</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://edc1creations.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/intimate-conversation-with-author-rachel-berry">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•Black 365 Network Blog</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/blackhistory365/blog?bID=538713883">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">•African American Book Club at iSeeColor</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.iseecolor.com/group/africanamericanbookclub/forum/topics/book-excerpt-a-slip-in-the">Meet the community here.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>» Prizes for Bloggers and Reviewers</strong> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We offer special book gifts for those who support the authors during our holiday book tours and to those who respond to the featured tour posts! To become eligible to win 1 of 5 copies of <em>A Slip in the Right Direction</em> by Rachel Berry, follow her virtual tour and leave comments at the blog stops and interviews. The winners will be listed on the author's website on December 1, 2010 at: <a href="http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com/">http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. </strong>Visit the magazine here: <a href="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/">http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-51577759242124164302010-10-13T23:25:00.000-04:002010-10-13T23:25:54.202-04:00Win a Copy of A Slip In The Right Direction<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Win a Review Copy of the YA Novella</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Slip In The Right Direction by author Rachel Berry</strong></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLZY3luE8aI/AAAAAAAADBo/wJNrE7PD3zo/s1600/aslipintherightdirection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLZY3luE8aI/AAAAAAAADBo/wJNrE7PD3zo/s1600/aslipintherightdirection.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Audio preview: A Slip In The Right Direction</strong> </div><div align="center" class="aaplayer" style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="40" scrolling="no" src="http://www.audioacrobat.com/playweb?audioid=P7ebd1ae7c1cf031510c97f9cfdf5b45bZV96S3xuY2JzWw&buffer=5&shape=2&fc=CC9900&pc=AAAAFF&kc=888800&bc=993300&loop=1&brand=1&player=bp14" width="94"></iframe></div><div class="aaplayer" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.audioacrobat.com/export/P7ebd1ae7c1cf031510c97f9cfdf5b45bZV96S3xuY2JzWw.mp3" rel="enclosure"><img alt="MP3 File" border="0" height="16" src="http://www.audioacrobat.com/images/buttons/downloadmp3.gif" width="72" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="aaplayer"><br />
<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slip-Right-Direction-Rachel-Berry/dp/0982778201">A Slip In The Right Direction</a>, a coming-of-age story for tweens & teens. The story of life, puppy love, and lessons, as seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old young man coming-of-age in Chicago.</em></div><div class="aaplayer"><br />
Homesick for his life and friends back home, a family move forces 14 year old Clifton Henderson, aka Slip, to grow up on the north side of Chicago. In his mind, life sucks at the moment and can't get any worse. But it does. A kidnapping by gang members, a crush on a girl playing hard to get, a strict father, a mysterious neighbor, and the gift of premonitions all help take him on a ride of life until eventually he takes <em>A Slip In The Right Direction</em>.<br />
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<strong>Listen the book excerpt above and leave your comments</strong>, along with your email address to enter a drawing to win a review copy of Rachel Berry's new YA title, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slip-Right-Direction-Rachel-Berry/dp/0982778201">A Slip In The Right Direction</a></em>. Author Rachel Berry will pull all the comments from her online book tour on Nov. 25, 2010 and announce the winners on Dec. 1, 2010. Please consider giving books as gifts this holiday season! <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br />
</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>How To Enter the Contest: </strong>To enter the drawing, hosted by EDC Creations Media Group, readers must preview the excerpt podcast and leave a comment of 10 words or more. Three readers will win copies of this book, while the author is on tour. Winners will be randomly selected to receive a copy of the featured book. Winners will be posted on the author's teen blog. Books mailed within 7-10 business days of the contest ending. All prizes distributed by EDC Creations, not the publishers. Your privacy is protected. Email lists are never sold.</div></div><div class="aaplayer"><strong><br />
</strong></div><div class="aaplayer"><strong>Eligibility:</strong> To be deemed eligible to participate in this contest, you must be 20 years of age or older and the contest legal in your state. Open only to permanent legal residents of the 50 states of the U.S.A. and D.C. This contest is NOT available outside the United States all federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply void where prohibited or restricted by law. Winners will be notified via email. Books will be shipped media mail 7-10 days after contest ends. The winners will be listed on the author's website on December 1, 2010 at: <a href="http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com/">http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com/</a> and <a href="http://www.rachelberry.webs.com./">http://www.rachelberry.webs.com./</a></div><div class="aaplayer"></div><strong>No purchase necessary to enter or win.</strong> Only one book per month per household or bookclub. All that we ask is for the reader to post a review online or in the social network of their choice, after reading the book. Spread the word and tell 10 people about the book. <br />
<div></div><div class="aaplayer"><br />
<br />
<strong>Meet Author Rachel Berry</strong><br />
Rachel Berry is a word-fairy that enjoys the craft of words that create and inspire life and people. As an author & poet Rachel feels blessed to have the creative opportunity of expression. Berry is also a motivational speaker, mentor, community leader, independent book publisher, entrepreneur, columnist for SORMAG, and host of From The Heart & Soul show on Blog Talk Radio. <br />
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She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, adult children, grandchildren, and parents. Rachel puts family first and enjoys life in Virginia. When she's not writing, she also enjoys reading, dining out, traveling, and watching movies. She accredits her gain in blessings and achievements to her relationship and guidance from her creator, association with great women, positive family members, loyal friends, the upbringing of an amazing woman-her mother, and the support and love of her husband and children.<br />
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<strong>Connect with Rachel Berry, CEO Kimathi Enterprises & Publishing Company</strong><br />
Author Website: <a href="http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/">http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/</a> </div> <strong></strong>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-55975392877851345512010-10-11T04:09:00.000-04:002010-10-11T04:09:35.474-04:00Road to Publication with author Katie McCabe<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Road to Publication with author Katie McCabe</span></strong></div><br />
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<em>Author Katie McCabe joins us today to share her journey to publication that led to a major movie deal. She discusses her latest book and shares advice for new authors.</em><br />
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<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLK7lrNy3XI/AAAAAAAADBY/X9o53BpPr-I/s1600/katiereadsfromjustice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLK7lrNy3XI/AAAAAAAADBY/X9o53BpPr-I/s1600/katiereadsfromjustice.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Katie McCabe</strong> is a National Magazine Award winner whose Washingtonian article on black surgical legend Vivien Thomas formed the basis for the HBO film Something the Lord Made, one of the highest rated original movies in HBO history and the winner of the 2004 Emmy and 2005 Peabody Awards. <br />
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McCabe’s 2009 book Justice Older than the Law, co-authored with pioneering lawyer Dovey Roundtree, won the Association of Black Women Historians’ Letitia Woods Brown Book Prize.<br />
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For her work in science and medical journalism, McCabe has been honored with awards for investigative reporting (William Allen White Award, 1991) and public service (National Magazine Award finalist, 1986). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<strong>» Book Spotlight:</strong> Justice Older than the Law: The Life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree by Katie McCabe and Dovey Johnson Roundtree. <strong><em>Chapter One, "Walking Unafraid,"</em></strong> about Dovey Roundtree's courageous Grandma Rachel, the woman Dovey calls "the greatest warrior I ever knew." Listen to a live reading from Katie here: <a href="http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/WC3S5tj4">http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/WC3S5tj4</a> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>BPM: How did you get your start in writing/publishing?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: As a former high school English teacher who had always wanted to write, I launched my writing career in 1985 by pitching an article to Washingtonian magazine on the subject I knew best: education. While teaching and tutoring at the Holton Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, I wrote an article on speculation for Washingtonian on selective college admissions and the SAT prep courses that were new on the horizon. I studied the style and tone of Washingtonian magazine and pitched the piece very carefully to that magazine’s particular audience: upscale, educated, sophisticated, well read, and eager to give their children every possible advantage. I was fortunate to sell that very first piece, whereupon I began writing regularly for the magazine, branching out from education and private school topics to lengthy narrative pieces on medicine, medical research, and medical history. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The article that moved my career to another level was an August 1989 Washingtonian article on black cardiac surgery legend Vivien Thomas, “Like Something the Lord Made,” which won the 1990 National Magazine Award for Feature Writing and was optioned for a television movie. The 2004 HBO film that was based on my article, also named “Something the Lord Made,” starred Mos Def and Alan Rickman, and it won the Emmy for Best Made for TV Movie and the 2005 Peabody. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was named the best movie of the year by the American Film Institute, which called it “a revelation…a bittersweet story that is an important tool for America as it continues to search for a public vocabulary to discuss issues of race.” The HBO film enabled me to secure representation by a premiere New York literary agent and led to a host of other opportunities, including speaking engagements. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
KM: In the 14-year period during which the Vivien Thomas piece was in development as a movie, I continued to write for Washingtonian, and I was approached by Reader’s Digest to write for them on contract. While the Digest experience was not artistically satisfying for me as a writer who places great value on style, writing on contract for the Digest provided income while I worked on other projects and embarked on a book, and it helped me hone my narrative skills. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the 11 years I wrote for the Digest (1989 to 2000), I did lengthy “Book Section” pieces which required not only extensive research but also a mastery of narrative structure and character development within the strict confines imposed by the Digest form. I found that those storytelling skills stood me in good stead when I embarked on my first book, Justice Older than the Law: the Life of Dovey Johnson Roundtree, in February 1995, in collaboration with the book’s subject, pioneering civil rights lawyer, veteran and minister Dovey Roundtree. Nearly 15 years in the making, the book was published in July 2009 by the University Press of Mississippi and won the 2009 Association of Black Women Historians’ Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book Prize for the best publication on an African American woman.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>BPM: Did you have any formal journalism training?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: I had a journalism minor at the University of Maryland, but essentially I learned the narrative craft by studying fiction and non-fiction, by teaching writing, and then by writing myself in many different markets.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>BPM: Katie, what can readers expect when they open a book created by you?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: I believe my power as a writer derives from my lifelong love affair with words and literature, my sense of the compelling stories hidden beneath the surface of outward events, and my fascination with unsung heroes. These passions came from my late parents, John and Kathleen Burns. They exemplified for me the kind of nobility and courage I endeavor to portray over and over again in my non-fiction as I seek out heroes and heroines whose lives have profoundly altered our world but whom history has forgotten or marginalized. My goal is to portray these history-makers with the vividness of fiction, and to bring them alive for future generations.<br />
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<strong>BPM: What are you most proud of as a writer in today’s market?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: I have endeavored to pass on to the next generation of readers the stories of men and women who have prevailed over almost insuperable odds to achieve greatness in medicine, in the law, in athletics, and in public service. I believe that my legacy as a writer is that I have brought to life some truly extraordinary examples of the triumph of the human spirit. These examples speak to people of all races and backgrounds about what is possible when one draws strength from mentors and taps into one’s own well of courage, faith and tenacity.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In today’s market, which is dominated by books and movies that glorify violence, brutality and sexuality run rampant, I choose to tell stories that celebrate the eternal values, and I think that sets me apart from the mainstream.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>BPM: What advice would you give someone just starting out as a writer?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: I would tell young writers two things: first, to choose stories that they consider deeply important, to bring to bear every particle of talent they have to those stories and market them with all the energy they can summon; and second, to operate on the assumption, at least at the beginning, that it will not be possible to make a living by writing. It is possible to succeed in today’s brutal publishing market, but the reality is that one needs a reliable income from a steady job in order to “support the writing habit.” </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLK7z_5JjoI/AAAAAAAADBc/Xa1yRnMPmHQ/s1600/justiceolderthanthelaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TLK7z_5JjoI/AAAAAAAADBc/Xa1yRnMPmHQ/s320/justiceolderthanthelaw.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>BPM: What social issues do you address in Justice Older than the Law? How is this book affecting the public?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: I have never been a “political writer” in that I have never set out to address any social issues. I am a storyteller, and my goal is to pass along stories that matter, that illuminate lives that exemplify nobility, courage, tenacity, faith and goodness. All truly great stories change the world, and they do so precisely because they come in “under the radar” of our critical sense and move our hearts and minds. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When I set out to write Dovey Roundtree’s story, I did so because I was enthralled with her life experience and with her personal charisma. Having said that, I do believe that Justice Older than the Law speaks importantly to some of the most critical issues of our time. <br />
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Contemporary America urgently needs this book. As we contemplate at fifty years’ distance the meaning of Brown v. Board in the light of recent Supreme Court rulings, as we struggle with issues of race at every turn, there is a sense that we’ve lost our bearings. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: What is justice? What sort of a society are we aiming toward? How can we capture the values we seem to have lost? How do we arrest what Dovey calls “the demon of violence” that is destroying our cities? To be able to tap into the world view of a 96-year-old living legend who brought her fight into the streets, the jailhouses, the churches, and ultimately, into the hearts of the individuals to whom she ministered, is an extraordinary opportunity, I believe, for people of all races. <br />
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Special Note: First Lady Michelle Obama saluted Dovey Johnson Roundtree on the occasion of the book's Washington, DC launch.</strong></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">"She [Dovey Johnson Roundtree] has clearly demonstrated that even in the face of enormous challenges, an unblinking belief in equality and justice will spur real change. I am inspired by Ms. Roundtree, and I hope that her story continues to motivate all Americans to fight for our shared values. It is on the shoulders of people like Dovey Johnson Roundtree that we stand today, and it is with her commitment to our core ideals that we will continue moving toward a better tomorrow." --- First Lady Michelle Obama, July 2009 </div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><strong><br />
BPM: What’s new? Tell us about your latest awards and media mentions.</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: Dovey and I are proud that the book won the 2009 Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Book Award from the Association of Black Women Historians, which praised Justice Older than the Law for the way it “aided in connecting with the person and the pathos of Dovey” by its use of the novel format. The judges stated, “Your work enhances our understanding of the importance of storytelling as biography.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We are also deeply gratified by the fact that law firms in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Hartford and Charlotte have embraced the book and made it a part of their diversity programming. This represents a whole new wave of Dovey’s activism, which neither she nor I anticipated when we set about to tell her story together 15 years ago. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: Dovey and I are also thrilled that 30 or more law firms in Washington, DC featured the book at a “Law Night” on Thursday, July 8 for the rising ninth graders at Thurgood Marshall Academy, a charter school located in Anacostia, where Dovey ministered for 35 years at Allen Chapel AME Church. The Law Night, held at Dovey’s alma mater, Howard University Law School, brought together the Thurgood Marshall Academy students with attorneys and summer associates from the law firms for a program I presented on Dovey and the book. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">One of the great crusades of Dovey’s later years in Washington was to find a way to quell the tide of violence among young people, to do what she called “heal the brokenness” in society and especially the black family. This book is part of her healing effort. She believes that her story will point young people to the essential truths that will sustain them amid the chaos of contemporary culture and set them on the path of goodness. At age 96, she is prevented by gravely ill health from participating in these and other book promotion events, but she continues to celebrate with me the ripple effects of the book on which we worked together for so many years.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<strong><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=160473132X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=D79F47&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>BPM: How may readers view the photos of Dovey, contact you for more information and to find out more about the book?</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;">KM: Visit us at <a href="http://www.justiceolderthanthelaw.com/">http://www.justiceolderthanthelaw.com/</a> , the web site address for the book, and there is a link there to email Katie McCabe (at <a href="mailto:mccabe.kathleen@gmail.com">mccabe.kathleen@gmail.com</a> ) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Justice Older than the Law by Katie McCabe</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Older-than-Law-Roundtree/dp/160473132X"><strong>Purchase your copy today!</strong></a><br />
It is the story of pioneering Army veteran, attorney and minister Dovey Johnson Roundtree, co-authored by Katie McCabe. This is a love song to the black family and a celebration of the eternal values that make it possible to transcend our pain and limitations. Dovey Roundtree is an icon, and her story is an inspiration to all families. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Hardcover: 288 pages; ISBN-10: 160473132X </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174333689986153501.post-38828095429683179632010-10-01T15:43:00.002-04:002010-10-01T15:43:55.628-04:00Intimate Conversation with author Renee Wiggins<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Intimate Conversation with author Renee Wiggins</span></strong><br />
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<div align="left"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TKY3baJCWZI/AAAAAAAADBM/2iJizIb-Yvw/s1600/ReneeWiggins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0x79pr8wvas/TKY3baJCWZI/AAAAAAAADBM/2iJizIb-Yvw/s1600/ReneeWiggins.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Renee Wiggins</strong> is the owner of <em>Results By Renee</em>, a wellness company based in Maryland. Her mission is to help people achieve optimum health through nutrition, fitness and supplemented with stress reduction techniques. <br />
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<strong>Ms. Wiggins</strong> designs lifestyle programs for individuals and groups. She is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Massage Therapist. </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Listen to various health related coaching sessions by Renee, <a href="http://www.resultsbyrenee.com/?itemCategory=33283&siteid=291&priorId=0">by clicking here today.</a> </strong> </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: Renee, please introduce us to your latest non-fiction, self-help book, <em>Transformations: Give UP The Struggle</em>.</strong></div><div align="justify">RW: <em>Transformations: Give UP The Struggle</em> is a unique collection of affirmations written to encourage readers to break the chains of negative thoughts and actions, to embrace the positive aspects of change and to take the necessary steps to live a happy, fulfilling life. We all have had our ups and down in our lives, some more than others. But, how we end up in the end, determines how we actually see the storms. The storms help us to change to a better and stronger person. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: How did the title of your book, <em>Transformations: Give UP The Struggle</em>, come about?</strong></div><div align="justify">RW: I was searching for a word that would express the idea of change, so I came up with four different titles that embodied that concept and I sent them to friends, family members and colleagues I trusted. With their help, I came up with the word" Transformations", as I thought, that really got to the core to the message I wanted to share. I added the "Give UP The Struggle because I wanted the reader to know in order to transform, one must give up. Thus the title, " Transformations: Give UP The Struggle' was born. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write Transformations?</strong></div><div align="justify">RW: As a diabetes educator, nutritionist, and personal trainer, I hear a lot about the struggles my client's experiences. And as I've listen to them over the years, I soon began to realize that many of these men and women were in unpleasant, unhealthy situations because they were unable to break bad habits and unable to realize that making simple changes in their lives could make the difference they desired. So I wrote the affirmations in this book as a way of teaching people that their chain can be broken and that they I wrote Transformations" Give UP The Struggle as a way to let people know that just as a caterpillar grows wings and transforms into a butterfly, they too, must also be open to similar evolutionary process in their lives.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: Are the affirmations a representation of your life? </strong></div><div align="justify">RW: Yes, some of these affirmations come deep within my soul, while others were birthed from the experiences men and women have shared with me regarding their own personal struggles. I want to reach men and women from the ages of 18 years to 92 years of age, who are entering a storm or going through a storm. The affirmations presented in this book can be a turning point in the reader's life.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=sanklitesoci-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=098256130X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=D79F47&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>BPM: What are some of their specific issues, needs or problems <br />
addressed in this book? </strong></div><div align="justify">RW: The central themes of my book revolve around encouraging and empowering my readers to embrace their struggle as life lessons that they can move from their current situation toward greatness. I 'm happy to have these themes in the form of affirmations because research has shown that people who recite and /or live by affirmations have a more positive attitude.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: What is your best advice to anyone who wants to be a writer?</strong></div><div align="justify">RW: I encourage writers to take classes, workshops, travel to seminars, connect with other writers, join groups and most of all, and help other writers without hesitation.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><strong>BPM: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.</strong></div><div align="justify">RW: I am currently writing part two of my current book, Transformations: Give UP The Struggle. This book will be a collection of stories of people who successfully danced through some of life's most turbulent storms. It s my hope that these stories will provide the strength and guidance others may need to change their lives for the better.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>BPM: How can readers reach you online? </strong></div><div align="left">Readers can find more info on me and purchase the book at: <a href="http://www.resultsbyrenee.com/">http://www.resultsbyrenee.com/</a>. Follow me on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/giveupthestrugg">http://twitter.com/giveupthestrugg</a> for diet tips, health tips and more.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div align="left"><strong>Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. </strong>Visit the magazine here: <a href="http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/">http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Ella D. Curryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01852940348120955782noreply@blogger.com0