Literary Treasure Hunt Black Books Weekend

Black Books Weekend Literary Treasure Hunt

Black Books Weekend, is a totally ONLINE book festival.  Black Books Weekend will open Black Friday, November 23-26, 2012 on The Black Authors Network Online Radio Show.  We are playing a literary treasure hunt.  Visit all of the websites below to find each "gem" as your answers!  Compile a complete collection of correct answers to win fabulous book gifts during Black Books Weekend. The game will be played November 23-26, 2012 and you must be in the BAN chatroom.


HOW TO PLAY AND THE RULES:

* You must be present and logged into the BAN Radio chatroom when the questions are posted.  Go here to register AND to enter the BAN Radio Show chatroom each night:   http://www.blogtalkradio.com/black-author-network

* The first person to post the correct answer for each "gem" will win a book or a instant ebook download. If you are a winner, email Ella Curry immediately at this email address:  edc_dg@yahoo.com  with your favorite genre of books and your home mailing address. You have 3 days to claim your book.

* Find the answers to the questions for your own personal use.  Do not post the answers for others, because they might just beat you to the treasure chest!  The clues are listed below.



HERE ARE THE LIT GEMS TO SEARCH FOR:

1. What is the name of Pamela Samuels Young new hair book? When will it release?  Find the treasure:  http://pamelasamuels-young.com/going-natural/index.html

2. Kimberla Lawson Roby has a new book coming Jan. 8, 2013.  What is the complete title?  Find the treasure:  http://www.kimroby.com/bookshelf.php

3. Ladies are you searching for Mr. Right? Check out Mr. Right by author ______.   Like the page and Find the treasure:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriD

4. The Land of _____  by author Sherryle Kiser Jackson is a story about indiscretions, broken promises and a crazy twist of unrequited love.  Find the treasure:   http://sherrylejackson.com/bookshelf

5. ANOINTED by Patricia Haley is book number ___ in the highly acclaimed CHOSEN series.  Find the treasure:  http://www.patriciahaley.com/home

6. Name the main characters in Where Did We Go Wrong? by Monica Mathis-Stowe.   Find the treasure:   http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/readingroom2012.html


7. Who is the main female character in the LA Blues series by Maxine Thompson.  Find the treasure:  http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/readingroom2012.html

8. What Atlanta, GA bookclub was established in November 2009 by Bobbi Ramey, president?  Find the treasure:  http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/bookclubs2011.htm

9. Fire Down Below by ____ contains four shorty stories and one long novella. First self-published title by this author, who has written more than 47 books!   Find the treasure:   http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Down-Below-ebook/dp/B009DS2OUO

10. Author Terri D.  is a long-term transplant resident of ______, PA.   Find the treasure:  http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C7GXg8C4

11. Who are the 3 main characters in Havoc on a Homewrecker by Mz. Robinson?  Find the treasure:  http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com  

12.  In  Still Grindin' by Kendall Banks, _______  is back and dirtier than ever in this sequel to Welfare Grind.  Find the treasure:  http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com

13. Every player can be played.  Calvin’s Trick or Treat is book 2 in the ____ Series by Tucker Davis. Find the treasure:  http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com

14. In "A Blessing and A Curse" by author _____,  Malika has the life every woman wants.  Find the treasure:  http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com

15. FREEMAN, the new novel by Leonard Pitts, Jr., takes place in the first few months following the ______ surrender and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  Find the treasure:   http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CljSPgzs


BONUS QUESTION FOR 3 BOOKS:
1. What is the link to the Books & Babes Literary Scavenger Hunts as listed on Black Pearls Magazine?  Find the treasure:  http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/index.html



NOTICE:  This game/contest is not related to or sponsored by Facebook or Twitter in anyway.  This treasure hunt is sponsored by EDC Creations Media.  No purchase necessary to win. ONE book per person; per household.  Must be 19 years old to play.  Void where prohibited.  Ebook downloads will be given to all winners outside of the United States.  Books delivered via media mail in 14 days.
This game ends Monday Night, November 26, 2012 in the BAN Radio Chatroom.

Freeman by Leonard Pitts Jr.

Freeman by Leonard Pitts Jr.

Freeman is a love story--sweeping, generous, brutal, compassionate, patient--about the feelings people were determined to honor, despite the enormous constraints of the times. It is this aspect of the book that should ensure it a strong, vocal, core audience of African-American women, who will help propel its likely critical acclaim to a wider audience. At the same time, this book addresses several themes that are still hotly debated today, some 145 years after the official end of the Civil War.

Listen to the author discuss the book here:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CljSPgzs

Freeman, the new novel by Leonard Pitts, Jr., takes place in the first few months following the Confederate surrender and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Upon learning of Lee's surrender, Sam--a runaway slave who once worked for the Union Army--decides to leave his safe haven in Philadelphia and set out on foot to return to the war-torn South. What compels him on this almost-suicidal course is the desire to find his wife, the mother of his only child, whom he and their son left behind 15 years earlier on the Mississippi farm to which they all "belonged."

At the same time, Sam's wife, Tilda, is being forced to walk at gunpoint with her owner and two of his other slaves from the charred remains of his Mississippi farm into Arkansas, in search of an undefined place that would still respect his entitlements as slave owner and Confederate officer.

The book's third main character, Prudence, is a fearless, headstrong white woman of means who leaves her Boston home for Buford, Mississippi, to start a school for the former bondsmen, and thus honor her father’s dying wish.

Like Cold Mountain, Freeman illuminates the times and places it describes from a fresh perspective, with stunning results. It has the potential to become a classic addition to the literature dealing with this period. Few other novels so powerfully capture the pathos and possibility of the era particularly as it reflects the ordeal of the black slaves grappling with the promise--and the terror--of their new status as free men and women.

Freeman by Leonard Pitts Jr.
Purchase Freeman from Amazon
Paperback 432 pages
ISBN-10: 1932841644
ISBN-13: 978-1932841640

Audio intro for historical, romantic fiction FREEMAN by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Read the Washington Post book review: http://wapo.st/L86uHP

Strings of Color by Marian L. Thomas

Strings of Color by Marian L. Thomas

Life can grab a hold of you like captivating strings of color. It is a lesson that four women will learn as they each travel down a journey filled with lies, betrayal, and shocking secrets.

Simone. Is immensely talented, yet everything she has ever known will be ripped apart. Her love will be tested. Her heart will call out for a strength that could only exist in moments like this, and her tears will carry her through the storm. Will she be able to give her heart to the love of her life while fighting to open her heart to a mother she has never known?

Naya. While facing her greatest loss, will she be able to find the key to strength, the will to continue on, and the endurance to make it through one of the darkest moments in her life?

Monà. Within her heart is a secret so deep that it could shake the very foundations of two lives. Will she be able to finally look into the eyes of a daughter she has only known from a distance?

Misty. Two paths are set before her; one could lead her back to the life of fame and prominence, which she so desperately wants; and the other could give her the love she so desperately needs. Will she choose the path that is best for her future, or for her heart?

Strings of Color by Marian L. Thomas. Listen Here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/ChMJF9js 

Attorney-Client Privilege by Pamela Samuels Young

Attorney-Client Privilege
by Pamela Samuels Young

A brutal murder, missing documents and an unscrupulous opposing counsel lead attorney Vernetta Henderson on a quest for justice—and ultimately—revenge.

The hotshot L.A. lawyer takes on a corporation with a long history of discriminating against women. While Vernetta simply wants justice for her clients, the corporation’s hired gun wants to win . . . and she doesn’t care how. On the home front, Vernetta’s infamous sidekick Special has finally found true love. But is the price more than she’s willing to pay?


Attorney-Client Privilege by Pamela Samuels Young
Legal Thriller/Mystery.   Listen Here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/Ch5XrKgs

Attorney-Client Privilege Book Reviews:

“Attorney-Client Privilege is a page-turning, rip-roaring, plot-driven examination of American jurisprudence and its effect on people who have no power. Read this novel. You won't regret it." – Scott Pratt, Author of the Joe Dillard Series

“Attorney-Client Privilege was a thriller until the very last page. We couldn't put it down. The best book we've read in 2012.” – Sisters with Books Book Club

“The verdict is in…Attorney Client Privilege delivers! Vernetta and Special are at it again in this dramatic legal thriller! A thought-provoking, page turner you can't put down!” – Something to Talk About Book Club

About the Author
Pamela Samuels Young is a practicing attorney, whose fast-paced legal thrillers tackle law and crime. Her novels include Attorney-Client Privilege, Murder on the Dow Low and Buying Time, which the Black Caucus of the American Library Association honored with its 2010 Fiction Award, calling the book “a captivating, suspenseful thriller.” A native of Compton, Pamela is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law and is on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime, an organization dedicated to the advancement of women mystery writers. Visit Pamela’s website at: www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

Purchase Attorney-Client Privilege Today
http://www.amazon.com/Attorney-Client-Privilege-ebook/dp/B008BWAD5G

Intimate Conversation with Andrea Clinton

A Blessing and A Curse
by Andrea Clinton

In "A Blessing and A Curse" Malika has the life every woman wants, a hard working husband who makes it happen financially; kids, both adopted as well as biological; her career as an artist with partners who own an art gallery; nice house, nice neighbors and the gift of foresight.

Malika couldn't ask for much more, until her gift of sight and infrequent ability to read minds opened her up to her husband's disgust, followed by his uncaring desire to leave her. She can't figure it out, what has gone wrong? But a well needed vacation helps her find her worth but to what detrimental end?

Malika finds a different type of groove in her story, A Blessing and A Curse.

Purchase copies of A Blessing and A Curse
ISBN-10: 0981837646
ISBN-13: 978-0981837642
Order books: http://www.aroundthewaypublishing.com

Ebook Download: Red Dollar by Andrea Clinton. Listen to the reading and share with friends: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CHXDqhps

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Intimate Conversation with Andrea Clinton
Hosted by BAN Radio Show

Listen to the reading and share with friends:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C84QXt5s

Previously an English teacher and high school principal, Andrea Clintonis a Novelist, Poet, Essayist and aspiring Screenwriter and Filmmaker. Andrea is a Montclair State University Graduate, who's achieved a degree in English, Film and Journalism. She's the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization, People Helping People, Inc., whose mission is to help citizens become independent and self-sufficient; Andrea is Editor in Chief of AMISTAD newspaper and magazine; and is presently working on a biography and screenplay featuring her uncle, Rock and Roll Hall of famer, George Clinton of Parliament/Funkadelic and the Clinton family.

Struck with Lupus in 2002, Andrea decided that if she were blessed to live, she would bring her countless stories into fruition by publishing them for the world to read. Her first novel is one of five in the first volume of, "Life Knows No Bounds." Andrea began this chronicle to exhibit to the world and address through fiction, the many directions life leads us in, regardless of which class we belong to. Andrea also set out to express to the world that life isn't after anyone in particular, it just doesn't know boundaries.

With the goal of helping people to understand and accept life, Andrea is said to write with that same creative gene and knack that made her uncle George Clinton the musical great that he is. See her many book reviews that support Andrea Clinton as a creative and entertaining great writer on the rise.

BAN: You have overcome many obstacles in life, how do you stay focused and keep writing? Do you have days when you just want to give up writing?
Many. In fact, it’s the reason I’m just now publishing. I had heard so many horror stories about the book industry that I ran like a chicken for many years, sharing my stories in magazines and newspapers as well as with friends. Even when professors encouraged me to send my work out to authors I wouldn’t because it seemed too cut-throat and I wasn’t up for the task. After all the research I did and an agent who seemed rough around the edges, I just did away with the thought. But, when I was struck with lupus in 2002, I regretted having 10 or more year old stories that received rave reviews, but were all packed in trunks and storage boxes. It was too heavy on my mind as I lay sick that I never published, nor attempted to. All this, while laying and worrying about dying from lupus. So when I was well, a publicist I’d consulted with at that time said with having lupus and being fearful of not having the time to live to publish my finished books, I should self publish. Thus, the 1st book in the “Life Knows No Bounds series.”

BAN: Do you have any favorite authors or books?
Sure, J. California Cooper, she’s outstanding. I started out writing stories like the ones she writes, with the same aim to enlighten others about previous goings on in the south and things they forget about. I also love Terry McMillan, Alice Walker, Michael Baisden and Eric Jerome Dickey. Other Books in African Literature.: Mother To Mother, Mema, and Devil On The Cross.

My literary muses are, and I say it proudly, Richard Wright who made me want to tell my story; and my favorite author, J. California Cooper who pushed me to complete my first short short story after I read family. Charles W. Chestnut who was the first African American realism writer in the 1800′s, he shed light on slavery from a different angle; and Charlotte Perkins Gilman who wrote, “The Yellow Wallpaper” after experiencing some mental health issues and felt the condition and the treatment of women needed to be exposed so male doctors at that time could stop treating women as if they were insignificant and limp. They make me not just want to write, but they make me want to blast off in the literary world! They are my Duracell batteries... my muse.

Read more here: http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/andreaclinton.htm

Perfectly Designed by Daphne Douglas

Perfectly Designed by Daphne Douglas

What will Nikki do when her mind doesn’t remember, but her body does?

Listen to the reading and share with friends:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CwbCyZt4

Architect Nikki Phillips awakens from a coma with no memory of the past three years. She believes she is in a three year relationship with her ex-boyfriend, basketball star DaJuan Spencer, but in reality she is engaged to Trey Williams – her high school crush and the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. Despite having no memory of a romantic relationship with the sexy veterinarian, Nikki can’t ignore the erotic visions she has of Trey making love to her or how her body tingles all over when he is near.

Devastated by the current situation, Trey is determined to help Nikki regain her memory. He supports her and shows her a love she has never known. DaJuan on the other hand, has fought hard to get Nikki back after destroying their relation. He feels lucky that circumstances have provided him with another opportunity. His only hope is that Nikki’s memory won’t return until after she falls in love with him again.

Now being pursued by two gorgeous men, Nikki must decide whether to continue the relationship she remembers with DaJuan, despite her changing feelings for him or Trey the man her mind doesn’t remember but her body and her heart does.

Check out the Perfectly Designed Video Book Trailer
http://youtu.be/Rsi4v7ZsVWk
Contemporary Romance
ISBN-10: 0615652832
ISBN-13: 978-0615652832

Purchase from Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Designed-Daphne-Douglas/dp/0615652832

Calvin’s Trick or Treat by Tucker Davis

Calvin’s Trick or Treat by Tucker Davis

Calvin’s Trick or Treat by Tucker Davis
Book 2 in the Chasing Love Series

Every player can be played.

With his recent promotion, accommodating women and fun loving personality, Calvin Jameson was enjoying life to the fullest. But his life is turned upside down the minute he reads a text from Tricia Martin, a woman with whom he spent two blissful weeks. Tricia’s text proclaiming she is pregnant and Calvin is the father sent his life into a downward spiral. Calvin shouts to the world the unborn baby is not his. So why does he pretend to be engaged to Tricia when his heart has latched onto Amber Kennedy? Is this all a trick, if so, who is tricking whom?

Amber Kennedy desired a man to love her and her only with all the passion she read about in novels. Calvin Jameson’s reputation preceded him, which is why Amber wanted to run and hide the second she laid eyes on Calvin the first day of her defensive driving class. However, her feet, eyes and heart planted her in place, hoping he was the man she was waiting to love. Would Calvin prove to be the treat her heart longs for or is it all an illusion?

Listen to the reading and share with friends:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CldQ2rN4

Calvin’s Trick or Treat by Tucker Davis
Romance; Book 2 Chasing Love Series
ASIN: B007J7FUNE
ISBN: 978-1432784157

Purchase from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Calvins-Trick-Treat-Chasing-ebook/dp/B007J7FUNE

Land of Promiscuity by Sherryle Kiser Jackson

Land of Promiscuity by Sherryle Kiser Jackson

Her biggest sin was her squandered promise.

Death of her mother and town martyr, Madame Ava Lucas brings Rebecca Lucas back to a land she would rather forget where she reunites with the only one man who has dared to love her as a true friend. Fifteen years later, that man, William Donovan is now the assistant Pastor of Grace Apostle Methodist Church adjacent to her family’s home estate. He’s devoted to helping Rebecca heal old wounds and rediscover her passion when she returns home. What they do not expect is in settling her mother’s estate that they would unearth a generational curse that threatens to dismantle their carefully built love affair.

The Land of Promiscuity is a crazy twist of unrequited love that will leave you wondering whether there are circumstances that make it impossible for even love to survive.

The Land of Promiscuity deals with generational curses and forgiveness. Listen to the reading and share with friends: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/ChtfkqC4

Purchase Land of Promiscuity by Sherryle Kiser Jackson
ISBN-10: 160162736X
ISBN-13: 978-1601627360
http://www.amazon.com/Land-Promiscuity-Sherryle-Kiser-Jackson/dp/160162736X

Me & Mr. Right Now by author Terri D.

Me & Mr. Right Now by author Terri D.
Available Friday, November 23, 2012

Me & Mr. Right Now highlights the life of one of my main characters, Toni Summerfield who appears in my previous novels Yesterday’s Lies and Today’s Truth. Toni is the type of woman that so many women can relate to. Abandoned by her father and raised by a single mother who always chose her boyfriend of the moment over her own child. Toni looks for love in all the wrong places. She meets her soul mate, Benjamin and believes they will live happily ever after. When Benjamin the only man she allowed into her heart vanishes she is lost, alone and hurting. Mr. Right Now speaks directly to every woman who has ever asked herself this question. Will I ever find my Mr. Right?

Looking for a fresh start Toni decides to move to a new city hoping to leave her painful past behind her.  Me & Mr. Right Now takes you through Toni’s adventures and relationship challenges as she navigates through healing from her past and preparing for her future. It will make you laugh and cry as the story unfolds and Toni shares her innermost feelings with you through her journal entries.

Excerpt: Me & Mr. Right Now by author Terri D.

Abandoned by the only man she’s ever loved when she needed him the most. Toni Summerfield makes a decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She’s lost, alone and hurting. She decides to try a new city and a new job. Is this the fresh start she’s been looking for or will pain and sorrow follow her. When she meets Andrew could her search for Mr. Right be over or does she find herself dealing with another Mr. Right Now?

Dear Journal,
Here I sit trying to fight back tears because I am so lost. I do not know how to go on living this way. Keeping all of this hurt and pain bottled up inside of me. It’s becoming unbearable, something has to change. I have been lying around sleeping and crying for weeks now. I am so close to a mental breakdown it’s scary, or maybe I am in the middle of it now, who knows. I feel like I am in the middle of this inner struggle part of me wants to breakdown curl up in a corner and continue to cry like a baby. The other part wants to be strong, rise above it all and become a successful professional woman, marry my soul mate and have a family.

Maybe that’s my problem I can’t determine how to define success anymore. What does success mean to me? Today success is getting through this day without breaking down. Yesterday success meant handling it all myself. Not worrying about controlling other people but doing what I needed to get the things I wanted done. A year ago success meant graduating from college, marrying my soul mate and starting a family.

Well I did graduate from college so I can cross that one off of my list. Marrying my soul mate, well it seems that’s not going to happen and as for starting a family well I technically did start one but I guess you can say I didn’t finish it. I wasn’t quite ready to embark on that adventure without my soul mate by my side so I did what I had to do. It’s been a month and I’m still asking myself if I did the right thing? No one to talk to about it since no one knows but me, God and the people at the hospital where I left my baby.

I don’t even know if it’s a girl or a boy. There is a child out there somewhere who will one day learn that they were adopted and they will wonder why their parents gave them up. How could I ever face my child and tell them why? The reason makes sense to me the parent but the children always feel abandoned, like they were not wanted or good enough to be kept. It’s sort of how I feel right now myself. Why did Benjamin abandon me? Wasn’t I good enough? Didn’t he love me enough to know that we could make it through any challenge we were faced with?

( Continued Black Friday, November 23! )

Copyright © 2012 by author Terri D. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission from the publisher. Excerpt provided solely for the personal use of visitors to the EDC Creations website or Facebook blog. More books from this author: http://www.amazon.com/Terri-D./e/B004ICTIZ4

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Intimate Conversation with author Terri D.

Terri D. is a long-term transplant resident of Harrisburg, PA. She is a single mother of three who has written poetry and short stories all of her life. Her children have always been her inspiration to push to get to the next level. She writes as a way to express herself and to document her inner most feelings. Terri D. published her debut novel titled Yesterday’s Lies in 2011 and her second novel Today’s Truth was released in the Spring of 2012. For more information about Terri D. please visit her website at: www.AuthorTerriD.com or visit her fan page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriD.

BPM: Tell us about your journey becoming a successfully published author. Do you have anyone in your life that was heavily influential in your deciding to become an author?
I have always kept journals and written poetry and short stories. One of my best friends who I have known over 20 years has always enjoyed my writing; she always complimented me on how well I express myself in writing. I didn't plan on writing a book I just had an idea and started writing one night in 2010. After a few chapters I shared what I had written with my friend and she encouraged me to continue and finish the story.

BPM: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
I wrote it as entertainment however there are some strong messages in the book. I would like for my readers to really think about their relationships and the decisions that they make everyday when interacting with each other. Sometimes we hide things or keep secrets to spare feelings but in the end we are doing ourselves and our friends a disservice by not being honest and truthful.

READ MORE HERE TODAY: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C7GXg8C4

Still Grindin' and Welfare Grind by Kendall Banks

Still Grindin' and Welfare Grind by Kendall Banks

Listen to the reading and share with friends: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CPwXlZ5s

Book 2- Still Grindin' by Kendall Banks
Keema is back and dirtier than ever in this sequel to bestselling novel, Welfare Grind. After oddly maneuvering her way out of the blood bath she left behind in Arizona, Keema is up to her old tricks again. Between sex, greed and murder it s almost impossible to escape from the hood life she s grown accustomed to. From one scam to the next, she finally comes up with a new hustle that rains money and is sure to give her the riches she thinks she deserves.

That is until someone from her past emerges sending her into mental shock. The stakes become high as Keema fights for her life, still with her mind on her money. While stacking paper Keema also stacks enemies...old and new. Unfortunately for her, her street savvy mentality may not be enough to get her off this time.

ISBN-10: 1934230413
ISBN-13: 978-1934230411
Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Grindin-Kendall-Banks/dp/1934230413


Book 1- Welfare Grind by Kendall Banks
Cold-hearted Keema takes the world by storm as she navigates her way through every trick and scam she can pull off. With four kids in tow, living off the welfare system had become her life along with the extra cash, sex and violence, her gangsta boyfriend Dupree brought into her life. Soon, chaos erupts, causing Keema's secret past to become a problem. When the chips fall, they fall hard, leaving Keema willing to do whatever it takes to keep money in her pocket. She's willing to go that extra mile, even if it means setting up her man.

Primary Message: Readers’ walk away with a realistic understanding of the GOOD, BAD and the UGLY when dealing with the Welfare System. Although the story is told in a vivid, fast-paced way, it’s a shocking eye-opener.

Purchase Welfare Grind by Kendall Banks
ISBN-10: 1934230383
ISBN-13: 978-1934230381
LCB Publishing: www.lifechangingbooks.net
http://www.amazon.com/Welfare-Grind-Kendall-Banks/dp/1934230383

Havoc on a Homewrecker by Mz. Robinson

Havoc on a Homewrecker by Mz. Robinson
Listen to the reading and share with friends: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/C4Dhwkd4
 
Finding a man has never been a problem for Toi Underwood. Finding a man who understands and respects her devotion to her career, lack of availability, and need for her me time is another story. Toi is so career driven that when she meets a man she either intimidates him or she pisses him off.

When Toi meets Carlton Thomas she begins to think that her prayers have been answered. Not only is Carlton attractive, he’s hardworking and understands her busy lifestyle. He’s patient and respects that Toi can’t be readily available to him due to other commitments. After all, he has his own extracurricular activities. Toi thinks she has met her match until she discovers that one of Carlton ’s extracurricular activities, just so happens to be another woman—his wife, Lisa.

Toi knows in her heart that walking away is the best option, but sometimes the right thing to do is also the hardest, especially when emotions and feelings have gotten involved. Toi’s mantra becomes, It is…what it is. Toi’s not looking for a ring and currently she could care less about being anyone’s wifey. To be honest she could care less about Lisa. It’s obvious that she’s doing something wrong that would make her man have to look elsewhere. Right? And what Lisa doesn’t know can’t hurt her. As long as everyone is happy, what could possibly go wrong?

For six years Lisa waited anxiously for Carlton to propose. Now, two years later, she has the ring and the papers. Granted, marriage hasn’t been what she expected, but she’s determined to make the best out of it. When she discovers Carlton has not only been playing the field but that he and Toi refuse to end their affair, Lisa becomes a woman on a mission. Lisa throws all logic and reasoning out the window and decides it’s time to teach some unforgettable lessons.

Toi quickly learns that ending her affair with Carlton is not only the right thing to do but could possibly save her life. However, some awakenings come a little too late. Toi will see that when the right woman gets fed up she can truly be Havoc on a Home Wrecker.

Book Review for Havoc on a Homewrecker
Read an excerpt: www.gstreetchronicles.com/HavocOnAHomewreckerExcerpt

I'm at a lost for words! Mz. Robinson, you have fire drizzling from your pen!! Havoc on a Homewrecker is undoubtedly a TOP SELLER!! The characters came to life and brought their drama through my door. I liked them, then I hated them. I didn't know whether I wanted to fight the men or the women but I knew I wanted somebody!! Your ability to take the story in one direction, then bring it back around and end up somewhere I never expected is remarkable. Keep 'em comin'!
~BOSS LADI

ISBN-10: 1938442105
ISBN-13: 978-1938442100
Purchase from G Street: www.gstreetchronicles.com
http://www.amazon.com/MZ.-Robinson/e/B0089RVY1U
http://www.amazon.com/Havoc-Homewrecker-Mz-Robinson/dp/1938442105

Intimate Conversation with Monica Mathis-Stowe

Intimate Conversation with Monica Mathis-Stowe

At age ten, Monica Mathis-Stowe was introduced to the world of romantic fiction by an older cousin who worked at a local library, and it was "love at first read." She simply couldn't get enough. Reading for fun opened her mind to new experiences.

As a teenager, she decided to become a writer on a hot, summer day while reading in her bedroom. Having just finished a chapter where the author described a ski resort so vividly, she got up from her bed and looked out her bedroom window, expecting to see snow-capped mountains and feel frigid temperatures. She wanted that power, the ability to make people feel and experience life through her words and stories.

Instead of just reading novels, she studied them, determined to create entertaining stories like the published authors whose work she enjoyed. Her favorite authors include Jackie Collins, Terry McMillan, Mary Higgins Clark, and Carl Weber. She enjoys reading all genres, but her favorite is contemporary and romantic fiction with strong, independent women as lead characters.

Her novels describe the drama in relationships among families, lovers, friends, and colleagues. She likes to take her readers on a roller-coaster ride of emotions that will make them laugh, cry, gasp, think, and question people and their actions.

Her first novel, Where Did We Go Wrong? is scheduled to hit bookstores in April 2012. In the meantime, she is busy at work on future novels. There is nothing more exciting to her than creating a fictional world with flawed characters who consume her thoughts and tell her how they want the story to play out.

Monica is a native of Washington, D.C., and a graduate of Nyack College with a degree in Organizational Management. When she's not pounding the keyboard crafting her next novel, she works as an investigator in the metropolitan Washington area. She currently lives in Prince George's County, Maryland, with her brave, sexy firefighter husband and their loving, handsome son.

 In her free time, she travels as much as she can, but when she's home, she's surrounded by her family and friends. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and several writers' networks and groups.  Life is good!

BPM:  What does your work speak to?

My work speaks to my ability to develop a story line that has a large appeal to a very broad audience.

BPM:  You believe in....

I believe in the "Art of Freedom" Freedom to live, laugh, enjoy the beauty of life..... A freedom that allows me to escape into a work of make belief where I can create and reach my highest zenith of realism.

BPM:  You are humbled by...

I am humbled by the amount of people who have read and commented on my work. You can’t help but to feel humble when you read a review from someone in a country you’ve never visited.

BPM:  Faith allows you to...

Faith allows me to put everything in God's hands knowing that He can handle it all. It is a comfortable, serene feeling that allows me to rest in knowing that with Him, all is well.

BPM:  Criticism makes you

Criticism makes me look inward, re-assess, re-group, take a second look to see what needs to be changed in the way I see, think and act. It's a reality check.

BPM:  A talent mind is...

A talented mind belongs to a person who has been enriched, cultivated and nourished by the diversity in the world they live in. An individual with a talented mind is not afraid to share their knowledge with others and embraces each person’s uniqueness.

BPM:  When you are afraid you will

When I’m afraid, I become impulsive and act without thinking, which often causes me to make mistakes and wrong decisions.

BPM:  Your fondest childhood/college memory

My favorite childhood memory is family reunions in my mother's hometown, Magnolia, NC. There was much gaiety as family members from far and near joined to together to share family stories, feast on foods fresh from the garden, play games, laugh, talk, hug, and show much love to each other.

BPM:  What you learned from your readers

I have learned that my readers are passionate about my writing, and highly opinionated about it. They become involved with the characters and feel free to express their thoughts with me. They are loyal and faithful and I am forever grateful for them.

BPM:  The greatest threat to literary freedom

The greatest threat to literary freedom is not being able to speak freely because of the possibility of censorship.

BPM:  Do you view your writing as a talent or a career

I view my writing as a talent that can lead to a career.

BPM:  What you know for sure

I know for sure that I am going to continue writing while at the same time keeping my family balanced. While writing is a passion, my greatest love, next to God, is my family. I will not jeopardize their happiness. They mean the world to me.

AGAPE: The Triangle, The Circle, The Cross

AGAPE: The Triangle, The Circle, The Cross
by Darryl Montague

Based in Philadelphia, AGAPE- The Triangle, The Circle, The Cross  is a compelling contemporary story that explores love, relationship, and forgiveness, in the midst of life’s storms. When Robert Miller, a high-powered advertising executive falls into a deep depression after his fiancee Tiffany abandons the relationship without any signs of unhappiness, his life is thrown into a tailspin. 

Not fully knowing how to deal with his heartache, he loses focus with his job, family, and friends.  He meets Serena, a single mother with two children, who is not without issues of her own.  They develop an unlikely relationship.  However, trouble brews when the men of her past resurface and seek to ignite their relationship with her.  In the meantime, Robert is faced with revealing a dark family secret that has kept his mother in a mental institution for nearly twenty-years. Having to explain his past becomes a conflict as he expose to his sisters Diamond and Jade that the father they've always known, isn't the man they believed.

About the Author
Darryl Montague is a native of Richmond, but now resides in Philadelphia Pa.  At an early age Darryl fell in love with writing when he first read the Huckleberry Finn novel.  Because the story was full with rich characters and great imagery, Darryl was drawn into the art of writing. For over twenty-years Darryl has been writing short stories, novels, and poetry.  Now with a concentrated focus on writing fiction that empower readers, Darryl has vowed to make certain his writing adds value and impact on reader’s lives that will teach lessons of life. Darryl’s mission in life is to uplift,  motivate, and encourage people that will allow them to walk into the fullness of their possibility.

AGAPE: The Triangle, The Circle, The Cross
ISBN: 9780976584384
Contemporary Fiction; Christian Romance

Website:   www.darrylmontague.com
Smashword.com:   www.smashwords.com/books/view/243290
Amazon.com:   www.amazon.com/author/darrylmontague
Barnesandnoble.com:  www.barnesandnoble.com/s/darryl-montague

Intimate Conversation with Jacqueline Luckett

Intimate Conversation with Jacqueline Luckett

After leaving the corporate world, Jacqueline Luckett took a creative writing class on a dare, from herself, and began writing short stories and poetry and never looked back. Jacqueline is the author of two novels, Searching for Tina Turner and Passing Love. In a February 2012 review, People Magazine described Passing Love as “beautifully written and filled with vibrant scenes of Paris in its Jazz Age and today.”

Jacqueline lives in Oakland, but travels often to nurture her passion for photography and exotic foods. Her essay, “Traveling with Ghosts,” was included in Best Women’s Travel Writing 2011.

Passing Love by Jacqueline Luckett

Nicole-Marie Handy has loved all things French since she was a child. After the death of her best friend, determined to get out of her rut, she goes to Paris, leaving behind a marriage proposal. While there, Nicole chances upon an old photo of her father—lovingly inscribed, in his hand, to a woman Nicole has never heard of. What starts as a vacation quickly becomes an unexpected adventure.

Moving back and forth in time between the sparkling Paris of today and the jazz-fueled city filled with expatriates in the 1950s, PASSING LOVE is the story of two women dealing with lost love, secrets, and betrayal . . . and how the City of Light may hold all the answers.  Order books here:  http://amzn.to/VVgedy

BPM:   Three artists on your playlist:
I listen to different playlists based on my mood and activity. When I’m exercising, I listen to Donna Summer’s Greatest Hits. MacArthur Park is my favorite song. I love how it starts off slow and builds to a wonderful fast pace—it’s good walking music. While writing Passing Love, I listened to two artists: Edith Piaf, the Little Sparrow, is a French entertainment icon.

Her music was part of the French culture that Ruby became so involved in. Listening to her music kept me close to the feeling of being in Paris. Nina Simone (who’s also on my playlist!) and many other artists recorded one of Piaf’s well-known songs, “Non, je ne regrette rien” (“No, I don’t regret anything”), and come to think of it, that’s Ruby’s philosophy. When writing Ruby’s lover Arnett (who played the saxophone), I wanted my words to have the rhythm, passion, and intensity of the saxophone.  Coltrane’s Ballads and John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman were great inspirations.

BPM:   Who does your work speak to?
I write books with universal appeal—both in story and character. Personally, I'll follow a story with characters that make me think or look at the world differently than I do.  That's what I’ve tried to accomplish in my stories. In  Passing Love and Searching for Tina Turner, the main characters could be you, your best friend, the lady in line next to you at the video store, or the mother of your child's classmate. I write about women, of a “certain age,” who've had failures and successes in their lives and are looking to create change. The stories I tell are ultimately about victory and overcoming fear.

BPM:   You are humbled by:
I find that I’m humbled by my readers’ praise, loyalty, and genuine support. It never ceases to amaze me. I don’t think of myself as a star, but my readers make me feel that way. They let me know that writing is well the time and effort I put into it. Traveling across the country and reading in front of audiences is a thrilling experience. To see, to realize that the people gathered in front of me are in the bookstore or auditorium or someone’s home to see and hear me is an amazing and humbling experience.

BPM:   Your  fondest childhood/college memory:
As a teenager, I was the official babysitter and storyteller for my younger cousins. I loved a good story (still do). “Bloody Bones,” is the only one I remember telling. It was the tale of a boy hounded by a ghoul. With the lights out, covers over our heads, and the glow of a single flashlight, I told the story, complete with sound effects. “Bloody Bones, I’m on the first step.” Bam! I’d stomp my foot on the floor. The more stairs the ghoul climbed, the harder I stomped. The more my cousins winced, the more dramatic I became, the more grisly details I added. Of course, we laughed after the story ended. I never let them know how, in telling the story, I’d frightened myself.

BPM:   What you know for sure:
I know that even with the best planning, tomorrow is uncertain. So I, we, must make the best of today.

BPM:   Will the printed book ever become obsolete:
I hope not. “Fahrenheit 451” comes to mind when I think of a world without printed books. In that movie, books were outlawed and burned. To me, that’s such a grievous crime. In some ways, I feel the same about the possibility of the printed book becoming obsolete. That would be a crime. I’ve loved books since I was a young girl. The sight of them stacked in the library, on my shelves, beside my bed; their musty smell is still exciting to me. I love the physicality of books. The ability to flip between the pages, to touch, mark, or highlight words and pictures; dog-eared pages, notes to myself, cracking the spine so that a book lies flat. I haven’t quite gotten used to reading books on my e-reader yet, but, I find navigating through magazines much easier (though, I’m still trying to figure out how to save pages without scrolling through an entire periodical).

Recently, at a friend’s birthday party, a mother handed her iPhone to her 2-year old to keep the child occupied while the adults celebrated. The little girl took the phone and found the games that she wanted to play without instruction. Her astonishing ease with the iPhone brought home the reality that her generation lives more fully in the virtual world than mine. It made me understand that just as our grandparents couldn’t fathom the transition from oversized radio to transistor (forget MP3 players), couldn’t fathom a car exceeding 50 MPH, couldn’t fathom man walking on the moon—all  of these events, these possibilities evolved.

It’s the rapid evolution, and because we’re right in the middle of such a profound shift, that makes it difficult to imagine a world without printed materials. No stacks to line our shelves, no magazines to fill out baskets and nightstands. Books could very well become collector’s items, not simply rare books, but any book. So, in some world off in the distance, the way we access stories and information will change. We’re seeing that now. Perhaps what’s more important, is that people continue to read—no matter what the medium.

BPM:   If  you weren't a writer, you would be: 
I’ve always been practical. When it came to thinking of careers, I focused on those that earned a good living and provided stability. I’ve wanted to be a journalist, a model, an actress, a CEO. I spent my career as a businesswoman in corporate America. It took me a long time to get back to the writing I loved as a child. I’m happy and pleased to be where I am.

At this point in my life, I like to dream about what I could be with an eye toward the frivolous or shocking—both with possibilities that challenge and dare. I like to believe what I write—that it’s never too late to change.

In my dreams, I walk onto a stage and into a cone of light. Musicians are behind me. Perhaps a full orchestra. I can only hear, not see them. The music plays, softly at first. I listen, waiting for my cue. I start to sing. My voice is strong and steady. It’s like fine chocolate and good wine. I hear my voice reverberating off the walls and the finely-tuned sound system. I belt out one song, and one song only. The audience goes wild.  And then ... I wake up wishing I could sing and make an audience scream for more like Streisand or Tina Turner or Beyonce. No such luck.

Yes, that’s my dream. I’d love to be a singer. My mother and her sisters are somewhat musical. They have nice voices and sang in warbled soprano tones at nearly every family gathering—though none of them ever pursued a singing career. I inherited a bit of that musical ability, enough to sound pleasant, but I was always too shy to pursue it.

There are the times that I try to fulfill my dream, and I pretend to be on stage, the music booming behind me. I sing my heart out knowing good and well that I am (and will always be) my own, and only, audience.  That done, I return to my computer, and write.

BPM:   Advice you would give a new author:
I’ll boil my advice down to one “do” and one “don’t.” Both, I believe, are important.

Do learn as much as you can about the publishing industry. Try to develop relationships and form networks with experienced authors. Don’t worry about how much money you think you’ll make or how well your book will do. Just write: for the love of words, the love of story, and to honor your gift.

Website:  http://www.jacquelineluckett.com
Twitter:   http://twitter.com/jackieluckett
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/Author.JacquelineLuckett

Brunchspiration: A Quotable Devotional by Norma Jarrett

Brunchspiration: a Quotable Devotional
Everything Inspirational at the Girlfriend Table

by Norma Jarrett

Inspired by faith based fiction bestselling novel Sunday Brunch by Norma L. Jarrett. Brunchspiration is a fun, faith filled, witty encouragement filled devotional for anyone seeking an uplifting word! With personal and real world examples of contemporary culture, author Norma L. Jarrett will have readers laughing, smiling and crying as she delivers Brunch Wisdom!

Brunchspiration: a Quotable Devotional
ISBN-13: 9781478203872
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brunchspiration-norma-jarrett/1112109122

Norma L. Jarrett is the author of novels Sunday Brunch (Best Girlfriend Book – Upscale Magazine), Sweet Magnolia (Essence magazine national book club selection) and The Sunday Brunch Diaries (Essence Bestseller) and Brunchspiration: A Quotable Devotional. She is also the creator of Brunch Lady – a books and lifestyle brand inspired by Sunday Brunch. Her work has gained attention in Ebony, Essence, Gospel Today, Jewel, Publisher’s Weekly, Rolling Out, Southern Living, Upscale, and USA Today.

www.normajarrett.net

www.facebook.com/normawrites

brunchladybooklife.blogspot.com

The Perfect Marriage by Kimberla Lawson Roby

The Perfect Marriage
by Kimberla Lawson Roby

ADDICTION. DECEPTION.
PRETTY PICTURES HIDE UGLY SECRETS.
THE PERFECT MARRIAGE.

Denise and Derrek Shaw are the perfect American couple. Happily married for fifteen years, they have a wonderful daughter, Mackenzie, successful careers, and a beautiful house in a posh Chicago suburb. They are attractive, respected . . . and hiding a shocking secret: a dangerous addiction to drugs.

It started innocently enough. Denise occasionally used prescription drugs to help her deal with the long hours and demanding nature of her job. Derrek, also under pressure at work, began using cocaine socially with some of his colleagues. They can quit whenever they want to. At least, that's what Denise would like to believe . . .

As her job becomes more stressful, Denise can no longer get through the day without a fix. Derrek realizes his harmless habit has become anything but, and desperately wants to get clean. However, his attempts are derailed when there is a sudden family tragedy. Once soul mates, now this husband and wife are quickly losing the immense love that had been the cornerstone of their marriage. With her parents spiraling out of control, Mackenzie makes an unexpected move to take matters into her own hands. Is her sacrifice too late-or is there still hope? Is there a final chance to save the Shaw family?

Purchase The Perfect Marriage
ISBN-13: 9780446572507
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfect-marriage-kimberla-lawson-roby/1110621179

Meet the Author
Kimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times bestselling author of  17 books, including the acclaimed Reverend Curtis Black Series.  She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois.  For more information, please visit www.kimroby.com
 

Friends & Foes by Victoria Christopher Murray

Friends & Foes
by Victoria Christopher Murray
and ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Bestselling and award-winning novelists ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray bring their favorite heroines together in a novel that’s “double the fun…a match made in heaven” (Grace Magazine).

The drama is still fresh between Rachel Jackson Adams and Jasmine Larson Bush after each woman attempted to get her husband elected to the coveted position of President of the American Baptist Coalition. Now, everyone’s favorite First Ladies are going at it again.

When Rachel learns that Jasmine is going to be featured on a national television interview—thanks to the publicist she hired—the gloves are off and Rachel is set to do battle. But unexpectedly Rachel finds herself caught up in a much more ominous plot—one that involves murder—and must navigate these troubled waters with her least-expected ally, Jasmine.

Combining light-hearted action with a message of faith, this book is a delightful read featuring two beloved characters from two exceptional authors.

Purchase Friends & Foes
ISBN-13: 9781451608168
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friends-foes-reshonda-tate-billingsley/1112218207

Meet the Authors
ReShonda Tate Billingsley is the #1 national bestselling author of numerous faith-based novels for adults, as well as the Good Girlz Christian teen series. Her short fiction appears in the anthology Have a Little Faith. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Help! I've Turned Into My Mother.

Victoria Christopher Murray is the author of nine Essence bestselling novels, including Too Little, Too Late and Lady Jasmine. Winner of the African American Literary Award for Fiction and Author of the Year, she splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Visit her website at VictoriaChristopherMurray.com.

ReShonda Tate Billingsley #BBWKN Guest Speaker

ReShonda Tate Billingsley always did have an active imagination. From making up stories to crafting award-winning poems, the national bestselling author has always maintained a love for telling stories. After numerous rejections from publishers, ReShonda stepped out on faith, established her own publishing company, and released her debut novel, My Brother’s Keeper. The book caught the attention of one of the country’s top literary agents, who secured a deal for ReShonda with megahouse publisher, Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books.

A former television and radio news reporter, ReShonda has been in the journalism business for more than two decades. Currently, she is the co-host of From Cover to Cover literary talk radio show, a freelance reporter, an editor for the Houston Defender Newspaper, as well as a professional editor, ghost writer and literary consultant.  

ReShonda recently added ‘actress’ to her impressive resume, starring in the national touring stage play “Marriage Material,” along with Allen Payne, Tank, T-Boz, Michael Colyar and Jill Marie Jones.  ReShonda has worked as a reporter for The National Enquirer and as an anchor and reporter for NBC, ABC and FOX television stations in Beaumont, TX, Oklahoma City, OK and Houston, TX. She left her job at FOX 26 News in Houston in 2007 to write full-time.

And write she does…

ReShonda is the national bestselling author of 21 titles (Eight adult novels, eight teen novels, one non-fiction, three anthologies and one poetry book). Her sophomore novel, Let the Church Say Amen, is being made into a movie of which she is Executive Producer and actress Regina King is the director.  Her teen books, Nothing But Drama and Caught up in the Drama are also being made into movies.

A much sought-after public speaker, ReShonda has won numerous awards for her journalism, fiction and poetry writing skills. She is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists Spirit in the Words competition. Considered one of the top Inspirational Fiction authors in the country, her books have appeared on the Essence Bestseller’s list more than 20 times, as well as The Washington Post and Dallas Morning News Bestseller’s lists. Her books have also been featured in USA Today and Ebony Magazine as Summer Sizzlers and she was recently inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, along with R&B singer, Ne-Yo.

ReShonda’s upcoming projects include A Good Man is Hard to Find (Mar. 22, 2011), Saints and Sinners (collaboration with Victoria Christopher Murray, Jan. 2012), Say Amen, Again (July 2011) and A Little Bit of Karma (March 2012). Her current books include: Holy Rollers, The Devil is a Lie, Can I Get a Witness, The Pastor’s Wife, Let the Church Say Amen, Everybody Say Amen, I Know I’ve Been Changed and My Brother’s Keeper.

Her teen novels include Drama Queens, Caught Up in the Drama, Nothing But Drama, Blessings in Disguise, With Friends Like These, Getting Even, Fairweather Friends, Friends ‘Til the End, and Caught up in the Drama. And the anthologies Have a Little Faith and Four Degrees of Heat. She has one non-fiction title, Help! I’ve Turned into my Mother.

A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, ReShonda is married with three small children and was recently voted a Top 25 Woman of Houston by Rolling Out Magazine.