FROM GHETTO TO GREATNESS by Kevin Brown

FROM GHETTO TO GREATNESS
A Journey In and Out of The Ghetto - Based on a True Story
A Novel by Kevin Brown


Set in the late 1970's, Author Kevin “Coach” Brown’s novel From Ghetto to Greatness is a masterpiece of storytelling that grabs the reader's attention from the very beginning. Once you are pulled into the protagonist’s Jerome Green’s world, you will be whisked away with him through the perils of teenage drug addiction and living life with no parental guidance. You will be pulling for Jerome all the way.

The plot is fresh and intriguing; as opposed to the trite storyline of “I sold drugs, I was in a gang, I went to jail, and now I want to save the world.” The result of this brand new approach to urban literature is a book that is absolutly a must read for all. It's just a wonderful story that will inspire you. It will make you laugh and sometimes want to cry. Brown paints his characters brilliantly as they all come to life and have a cumulative effect on Jerome Green’s unsure future.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Kevin "Coach" Brown enjoys writing and publishing inspirational thoughts that are enjoyed by thousands of his online followers. He is also a Success Coach and Motivational Speaker. He is a respected member of the International Coach Federation, The Georgia Coach Association, and Toast Masters International. He regularly conducts seminars and gives speeches on discovering your God-given purpose, creating your life plan, and setting and achieving goals based on your life plan.

Coach Kevin is a decorated, 12-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Following exemplary military service to his country, Kevin continues to enjoy a highly successful corporate career as an engineer, trainer, and consultant.The outstanding gifts he uses to enable government and corporate clients to maximize the use of complex technologies are now available to you to make the most of your complex life.

Coach Kevin takes the wisdom and caring of a grandfather, the discipline of a military training instructor, the intelligence of an engineer, and the vision of a senior corporate consultant and combines that experience with specialized Co-active Coaching techniques to enable you to transform your life and reach your glorious potential. Coach Kevin will work with you to unlock your full potential and enable you to attain all of your worthy desires. With Coach Kevin's passionate approach to life coaching, you can be assured of attaining meaningful results from your life coaching investment.

•ISBN-13: 978-0578040868
•Genre: Urban Fiction
•Target Audience: Teens/Adults
•Primary Subject Matter: Coming of Age Story

Paperback Available Worldwide:
http://www.successcoach4u.com/ for personally autographed copies
Lulu.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BooksaMillion.com
 
 
Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. Visit the magazine here:  http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/

Urban, Not Necessarily the Opposite of Rural

Urban, Not Necessarily the Opposite of Rural
by Sherryle K. Jackson

Poor Merriam-Webster, how demoralizing it must be to put out an annual reference that is basically outdated before it’s typeset. Once again, I have to call him on one of his definitions: Urban. Of, or pertaining to a city was one of his listings. Is that the kind of Christian Fiction that I write? New genres are created everyday. Citified Christian Fiction, although I like the premise and overall ring of the title; it is not necessarily what I write.

What are categories anyway, but catch-alls, and that’s the catch 22. I write Urban Christian Fiction. I write for Urban Christian (literally, that is the name of the publishing company I write for). Urban, loosely, subjectively and connotatively means of or pertaining to African Americans. It’s that simple or complicated. Like I said before, it’s a catch all category.


Believing that African Americans even in a niche market like Christian Fiction write all the same is like believing all African Americans are citified. What about the Southern Belles and gents. I just came back from The Faith and Fiction retreat (www.faithandfictionretreat.com) in Atlanta created by fellow Christian Fiction author, Tiffany L. Warren (What a Sista Should Do, Father than I Meant to go, Longer than I Meant to Stay and In the Midst of it All) where I learned that our audience, as well as why we write, is as varied as our skin tones.

Some write primarily to edify the body of Christ, and others dubbed as pioneers of contemporary Christian Fiction like author, Victoria Christopher Murray (Joy, Temptation, Sins of the Mother) feel compelled to write for those who may never grace a church pew. Me? I feel a certain weight to write in order to demystify the black church. I am a certified church girl that was tired of movie portrayals of church with their attempts to paint a caricature or rely on stereotypes of “church folk.” Folks who liken sitting in Sunday service to serving fifteen years to life in a maximum security prison.

I really hated those classic redemption scenes where the prodigal son or daughter literally crashes a Sunday service, joining in with the choir and dramatically giving their heart to the Lord. Sorry Steven Spielberg and his adaptation of Color Purple, but Alice Walker’s book shows what happens with Shug Avery between the time she’s singing Sista in the juke joint and when she comes down the aisle singing, Speak Lord in her daddy’s church.

I try to illustrate Christians exercising their faith. I love to write about burgeoning love and a burgeoning relationship in Christ. Either may or may not take place in a church. African American Christian writers are bound only by their conscious and publisher’s guidelines. We are CPA, self and mainstream published. We write multi-layered novels, often tackling taboo topics with the overall theme of God’s love, forgiveness and redemptive power. Our diversity gives us our edginess.

Here’s the catch 22. (I’ll ask you to hold my base steady while I ascend my soapbox.) You will not see Urban Christian Fiction authors in the Christian Fiction section of the local bookstores. I dare you to look for me or any of my titles. Lord forbid if we are placed in two sections. Where are we then? As if we are children of a lesser God, we are clumped into the two to four shelves set aside for African-American interest. We are in with Urban romance, Urban classics, Urban contemporary, Urban Erotica and Urban Urban or what is known as Urban Street Lit genre.

Don’t get me wrong, I know my audience is primarily ‘urban’.  I know some authors prefer to be the only race categorized by ethnicity. I am sure there are Caucasian Christian authors who would prefer to be shelved in fiction instead of Christian. Like a true evangelist, I wonder who might be missing my message because they failed to realize or fail to wonder into African American interest section because they are not African American.

Just like rural doesn’t mean Caucasian, Urban does not literally mean African American. According to connotation, Urban is not necessarily the opposite of rural. You’ll find Christian fiction is more alike in its root message than different no matter what section you find it in or what race the author happens to be.


Meet author Sherryle K. Jackson

Multi-published author, teacher, wife and mother, Sherryle continues in her pursuit to be a fresh voice in Christian Fiction. Her triumphant debut novel, Soon and Very Soon (2007) was followed up by her sophomore release, The Manual (2009).

Sherryle is currently working on her fourth novel for Urban Christian (Urban/Kensingon) titled Taylor-Made. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.

Soon After by Sherryle K. Jackson picks up right after Jackson's 2007 release, Soon and Very Soon. Pastors Willie and Vanessa Green are no more than six months into business as usual, in the combined Mt. Pleasant Harvest Baptist church after marrying and combining congregations, when they receive word that Willie's former church has been burned down by an arsonist's match. With more than one person with interest in the deed to the property and still more with an emtional investment in the church itself, it's up to Alexis Montgomery a local reporter and Chief Herbert Rich to solve the the crime.

Soon After by Sherryle K. Jackson
Christan Crime Fiction
ISBN-10: 1601628676
ISBN-13: 978-1601628671
Website: http://www.sherrylejackson.com/
Blog: http://www.thefateofthefire.blogspot.com/

Purchase your copy of Soon After from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/After-Urban-Christian-Sherryle-Jackson/dp/1601628676

Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine.
Visit the magazine here: http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/

Intimate Conversation with Cheryl Robinson

Intimate Conversation with author Cheryl Robinson






Cheryl Robinson is the author of five novels. Most recently, When I Get Where I'm Going, In Love with a Younger Man and Sweet Georgia Brown. She is a native Detroiter and graduate of Wayne State University. Robinson now resides in Central Florida where she is writing her next novel.

BPM: What makes you powerful as a person and a writer?
As a person I feel power in my faith. It allows me to press on through the rough times and to remain positive. I try not to let the daily stresses of life get to me. And I try not to judge others. The more I stop myself when I feel my mind going in that direction, the easier it becomes. I get tired of seeing people get built up by the media to later get knocked down. The less I judge others the better I not only feel, but also when I write and develop characters it's much easier for me to remove myself from the situation. I realize it's impossible for everyone to love my books, but I always keep that as one of my primary writing goals. And, I try to keep a healthy balance between being my own worst critic and one of my biggest fans.

BPM: Where do you find your inspiration? All of the inspiration I could ever need I can find from everyday life--the joys and the pitfalls. I can open one email from someone telling me how upset they are at the way I ended my last book and then turn around and open another email from someone telling me how much they thoroughly enjoyed it. That's an example of how life is in general. One minute you can be down, but in a second it can all turn around. You have to take the good with the bad and learn from them both. But honestly, sometimes I just want it to all be good.

BPM: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write your book?
Some years ago, when I was about nineteen or twenty, I answered the phone at my parents' home and there was a woman on the other end who insisted that we were related. She was trying to tell me that she was my half sister and that we had the same father. I remember my heart sinking. In order for that to be true, based on her timeframe, that would mean my father, who I thought had been happily married to my mother for years, had cheated. But as the conversation continued we both realized that while the two men shared the same name they weren't the same person.

Still, for those few minutes, I had to ask myself what if that was actually the case. The thought never completely escaped my mind, and in some ways it was that event that prompted me to eventually get around to exploring the scenario. And now, in the age of social networking, it's much easier to find your missing relatives. And in the case of these three sisters, it's also true, and they do share the same father.

BPM: Who do you want to reach with When I Get Where I'm Going and the message within?
I am a Women's Fiction author. That does not mean I only write for women. Nor does the fact that I'm black mean I only write for black people. I don't write to exclude any one, but to enlighten and entertain us all. I write about women and women's issues, and of course, men are in my novels too. As an author I have an opportunity to go beyond stereotypes. I've learned over the eight years that I've been writing professionally that there is a way to entertain without offending.

If I, as a black woman, do not feel good about how we are represented in the media. If I don't feel empowered about what is being written about us on the internet and elsewhere and if I have to continuously hear from the media that black women are "the least desirable of all the races" or not a preference by some men even within our own race, as an artist, I have an opportunity to present a different message that isn't a negative one, but can still be realistic. It's like music. Some songs only have a good beat while others also have wonderful lyrics. I want to write books that make people feel good.

My intended message isn't given to readers, but written in such a way that the reader gets out of it what they came to the story with and how they view the story and the characters will be interpreted by how they view the world. But maybe, if I do my job as I intend to, they will have a different opinion after it's all said and done.

BPM: Introduce us to your latest book, When I Get Where I'm Going.
What would you do if you discovered that you had a sibling you never knew existed? Would you be like Heaven, so excited to connect to that person that you quickly took to Facebook and started searching? Would you be like Hope, too caught up in the trials and tribulations of your own life to even care? Or would you be like Alicia, skeptical at first, but willing to open up to the idea?

Alicia, Hope, and Heaven are three estranged sisters embarking on one special reunion. And it will take an earth-shattering discovery, a lucky lottery ticket, and a near-fatal encounter to finally bring three sisters together and have them realize that nothing can save a person like family.

BPM: Introduce us to your main characters in When I Get Where I'm Going. Heaven Jetter, Hope Teasdale, and Alicia Day are three special sisters! Heaven is twenty-one and the youngest sister. She's on probation, caught up in an abusive relationship, and trying desperately to get her life back on track. Hope is a young widow and single mother searching for the truth behind her husband's death, but once she finds out, can she handle it? Alicia is a struggling actress trying to catch a break in Hollywood after thirteen years of trying, but a devastating one-two punch forces her back to Detroit.

BPM: What are two major events taking place? The novel is written in third person and begins with a prologue that occurs five months prior to the start of the story. And then the rest of the novel is divided into three parts and most of the chapters alternate between the point of view of each sister. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that each sister has a major turning point that makes each of them reevaluate their life.

BPM: What are a couple of the specific issues or problems addressed in this book? One issue in the story is domestic abuse. Heaven is involved in an unhealthy relationship, but like so many other women involved in something like that, she finds it nearly impossible to leave. Her story isn't from the viewpoint of a woman who is both a wife and mother and being abused, but from a young woman who has gotten caught-up with the wrong man and finds herself so confused that she doesn't know what to do and feels that her life in general is spiraling out of control.

Alicia Day's character was written for anyone who has been holding on to a dream for a very long time and wondering if it will ever come true. Aspiring actors, singers, and writers should be able to especially relate to her story. Black actresses, in particular, should also be able to as much has been discussed about the struggles that black women experience while trying to succeed in Hollywood.

Discussion Topics: When I Get Where I'm Going Domestic violence, sisterhood, estranged family, the entertainment industry, and specifically the lack of roles for black women in Hollywood.

BPM: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.When I Get Where I'm Going is featured in the September issue of Essence Magazine. And I recently completed my next novel, Remember Me, that will be released in September 2011.

BPM: How can our readers reach you online? Readers can connect with me through my website at: www.cherylrobinson.com and also join me on my recently created Facebook page. There is a link on my web site.


Cheryl Robinson--When I Get Where I'm Going
Purchase your copy today at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/When-Get-Where-Im-Going/dp/0451229479


Please check out the featured book and return feedback below. Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. Visit the BP magazine here: http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/

Romance: STORM by Pamela Leigh Starr

Intimate Conversation with author Pamela Leigh Starr

This week we celebrate the survivors Hurricane Katrina, on its five-year anniversary, and remember those who were lost. On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, LA.  At least 1,836 people lost their lives in the actual hurricane and in the subsequent floods, making it one of the deadliest U.S. hurricanes.  Katrina's storm surge caused 53 different levee breaches in greater New Orleans submerging eighty percent of the city. Author Pamela Leigh Starr wants to honor those who survived and continue to thrive by sharing her romance novel, STORM, with readers around the globe.

CATCH the Spirit of Survival
and Renewal!

Discussion: STORM by Pamela Leigh Starr and 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Chat Date: Tuesday Night, September 14, 2010 at 8-10 pm EST
BAN Radio: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/black-author-network

Invite all of your friends and fellow readers to join the conversation at 646.200.0402

Purchase your copy of STORM by Pamela Leigh Starr and let's discuss the book on BAN Radio Show, Tuesday Night, September 14, 2010 at 8pm EST.  Pick up your copy today, by clicking here. 

Call into the radio show at: 646-200-0402. Three callers will win other books by author Pamela Leigh Starr. 

STORM is a story of hope and the renewal of the spirit that can only come from surviving the devastation of one's history and the loss of everything we hold dear."
--- 4 Stars, Romance in Color Magazine

CATCH A STARR!

Author Pamela Leigh Starr traces her love for writing back to her first creation, The Terrifying Night, a comedic thriller illustrated by a classmate. Long after, Mrs. Starr developed romantic stories, falling in love with the never-ending cycle of two people meeting, opening their hearts and finding their way to love.

Ella: Where are you from? How did you start your writing journey?
PLS: I was born and raised in New Orleans where I still live, surrounded by its unique culture of jazz, the best food in the country and people who know how to let the good times roll! Les bon temps roulez!

Ella: Pamela, please introduce us the book STORM and the characters within?
PLS: POST-KATRINA NEW ORLEANS: In STORM experience the aftermath of the worst natural disaster to hit the Gulf Coast through the eyes of the Lewis's as Sabrina Adams and Josh Lewis find and preserve love in the midst of devastation.

John has always been a fixture in her life and Sabrina knew she could count on him to do any and everything... Except admit that he loved her. Despite the fact that she threw herself at him, Despite the closer, deeper relationship that had grown because of the hurricane and its aftermath, John was determined to stay within the eye of the storm brewing between them.

Sabrina was going to make sure that they quickly passed through that false calmness; for it they could survive the horrible winds and rain of the hurricane and deal with the horrific aftermath and destruction of their city after it had passed, she would make him understand that they deserved each other.

Ella: What would you like your readers to take away from your book, Storm?
PLS: I would like readers to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Though television allowed the world to witness the aftermath of the storm, the slow rescue and complete devastation of the city I love, I wanted to share a more personal insight of the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Through STORM, I was able to show the Post-Katrina effects on a family my readers have come to know and love. In my 4-book LOVE FOUND series, the Lewis clan gives a Pre-Katrina view of a black, southern family in New Orleans. STORM shows how this strong family came together to overcome the challenges Hurricane Katrina created in their lives as well as the discovery of a love despite them.

Ella: What is the most surprising thing you have learned in creating books?
PLS: The most surprising thing I've learned in the creation of my stories is that I should always listen to my characters. They "speak" to me as I write, guiding the story in directions I had not intended to go. When I begin a story I have an outline and set format. As my character develop they sometime tell me, "Whoa, Pam, that's not what I would do!" or "Are you crazy? I need to...". What can I do but give in to their demands?

Ella: What makes your book stand out and would entice a reader pick it up?
PLS: A pre-Katrina and post-Katrina view of family, love, resiliency and determination makes this series of books stand out. Readers have the opportunity to get to know and love a New Orleans family before Hurricane Katrina and then experience the changes in their livers after the hurricane. I began my LOVE FOUND series long before Hurricane Katrina blew into my life and the lives of the Lewis'.

In my 4-book LOVE FOUND series, the Lewis clan shows a Pre-Katrina view of a strong, New Orleans family . Through STORM, I was able to relay the Post-Katina effect on a family readers have come to know and love. STORM shows how this strong family came together to overcome the challenges Hurricane Katrina created in their lives as well as the discovery of a love despite them.

Ella: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
PLS: I would like readers to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Though television allowed the world to witness the aftermath of the storm, the slow rescue and complete devastation of the city I love, I wanted to share a more personal insight of the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Check out the Love Found book series by author Pamela Leigh Starr

FATE
· ISBN-10: 1585712582

CHANCES
· ISBN-10: 1585712965

MISCONCEPTIONS
· ISBN-10: 1585711179

IRONIC
· ISBN-10: 1585714046

STORM
· ISBN-10: 1585713236

Aug. 31 Book Launch Party for My Son's Ex-Wife

Book Launch Party for My Son's Ex-Wife: The Aftermath by Shelia E. Lipsey

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 8-9:00pm EST
Speak to Shelia by calling into the show at 646.200.0402

Chat with the partygoers here: http://tinyurl.com/sheliapartyex








Your Day Is Coming by Shelia E. Lipsey This is taken from a well known passage of scripture, Ecclesiastes 3:1 King James Version to be exact. I have found this verse to be true with each moment that passes in my life. There was a time when I felt like I would never reach the pinnacle of success that I have achieved in my literary career. There were times I would cry and ask God, “When is my time?” I have learned through living that there is a time for everything, even when it comes to the ordinary things of life. Even when it comes to my writing, there is a time for everything.


To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

I often dream of doing great and marvelous works. I have a desire to help others achieve their dreams and provide the resources they need to help them accomplish greatness. I believe that my time has arrived. It is my season to see the desires of my heart come into fruition. Not only has God blessed me to be a writer, but he has blessed me to be an award winning author of Christian fiction books. The desires of my heart are constantly being met, but not in my time. They are being met because it is my season. My season is now. I see doors opening and I see pathways being stretched before me. I am closer than I think.

If you are an aspiring author, I encourage you to remain full of hope. I encourage you to keep moving in the direction of your dreams. I encourage you to learn and study the craft of writing. Read what you want to write. If you desire to write fiction, read fiction. If you desire to write nonfiction, read nonfiction. If you desire to speak, listen to successful speakers. Learn your craft. Many of us ask for certain things to come forth in our lives, but we don’t want to do the work that is required to bring dreams into the state of reality.

Your desires, your dreams, your life’s goals, your hopes, are achievable if you first of all: Believe. Believe that what you desire is possible. Believe that your day is coming. Believe that you are closer than you think.

Next: Work. Work toward achieving your dream. Research, learn, study and do not give up. Work hard at what you want. Work hard for what you want. Network with others who are willing to share information with you. Work on your dream as often as possible. Work on being the best that you can be. Work. Work. Work.

Have Passion: Passion is what will drive you to never give up. Passion will push you toward seeing your dreams and the desires of your heart come to pass. Passion will ignite the fire within you to move in the direction that leads you on the road to success. Without passion, your dreams, your desires and goals will die. Keep Passion in your life, even when you don’t see anything happening.

Applaud. Applaud others for their accomplishments. Do not be envious or jealous of those who are already at the place you’re trying to reach. Applaud them because that means you have a chance to make it too. When I see someone else who has ‘made it’ then I know that God will do the same for me. If I am jealous and angry, mad or envious over the success of others, then I null the chances of my success. Always seek good for others and good will return to you.

Your desires may not come when you want them to, and that’s all right. They may not come when you expect them to. So what? All you have to do is believe that to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Believe, work, have passion and applaud others because your day is coming. As a matter of fact: "You're closer than you think."


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christian Novelist, Shelia E. Lipsey, is a native Tennessean, residing in the city of Memphis. She attended Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi, graduating magna cum laude with a BBA degree. Shelia is an award winning, bestselling author of four Christian novels. She is also an inspirational speaker, professional proofreader and literary expert.

If you would like to contact Shelia Lipsey, please do so at shelialipsey@gmail.com  or http://www.shelialipsey.com/.   Click here to read the full bio, preview her latest release and listing of books: http://www.shelialipsey.com/content/biography.html



NEW BOOKS BY SHELIA E. LIPSEY
My Son’s Ex-Wife: The Aftermath  is the second book in Author Shelia E. Lipsey’s My Son’s Wife trilogy. The story of the Graham family continues in My Son's Ex-Wife. First Lady Audrey Graham is more than relieved when Stiles encounters the young, vivacious nutritionist Detria Mackey. Rena is equally captivated by recent divorcee, Robert Becton.

Does the handsome, science teacher Robert Becton possess what Rena needs to give her life a much needed jump start? When Rena returns to Memphis for less than pleasant reasons, Stiles and Rena realize they still have deep feelings for one another, but will their feelings overcome the past that severed their relationship?

Will Audrey manage to come between them again or will other circumstances intervene that will give them cause to rethink their past and move forward to the future. Available at bookstores and online at amazon.com, bn.com, borders.com and booksamillion.com.

Order your copies today at the author’s website: http://www.perfecstoriesaboutimperfectpeople.com/


Brought to you by EDC Creations and Black Pearls Magazine. Visit the magazine here: http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/

Blog Tour: Life Knows No Bounds Tour with author Andrea Clinton

Life Knows No Bounds Book Tour
One Who Loves You More

Virtual Book and Blog Tour with author Andrea Clinton
September 1- October 1, 2010
Coming to a blog or social network near you

Join the virtual book tour at your favorite site or blog by visiting the links below and leave your questions or comments on the content. Author Andrea Clinton and Ella Curry of EDC Creations would like to thank each of you for supporting new authors and African American literature to grow.

For more information on author Andrea Clinton and her new book, Life Knows No Bounds: One Who Loves You More, visit her book club media room at:  http://www.blackpearlsmagazine.com/andreaclinton.htm

Purchase the novel, One Who Loves You More, as gifts for your family and friends. Give the Gift of Knowledge 365!  Shop for books today: Black Pearls Magazine Bookstore, click here.


View a digital excerpt from Life Knows No Bounds: One Who Loves You More by Andrea Clinton and leave your comments in the section below the presentation. Can't view the book excerpt widget, click here today.  Enjoy!


Explore the book excerpt for  Life Knows No Bounds: One Who Loves You More.



WEEK ONE: Life Knows No Bounds Book Tour

1.Book Launch Party on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 9-10 pm EST
Black Authors Network Radio Show, host Ella Curry
Readers, call into the show at 646.200.0402 to join the party
Join the us in the BAN Radio chatroom
www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network

2. Andrea Clinton's Tour Meet and Greet Media Room
3. Black Authors Network at LinkedIn
4. EDC  Creations BlackPlanet Home
5. Diva Clique Online Bookclub Blog
6. iZania.com Blog
7. Simply Said Reading Accessories Blog



WEEK TWO: Life Knows No Bounds Book Tour

1. Black Pearls Magazine Reading Room
2. Beautiful Black Women at Facebook
3. The Professional Black Woman at Facebook
4. Black Planet African-American Authors & Writers
5. National Association Women on the Rise at Facebook
6. Sankofa Literary Society Blog
7. Life Knows No Bounds Excerpt and Review Showcase
Please read the book preview above and leave your comments.



WEEK THREE: Life Knows No Bounds Book Tour

1. Essence Magazine at Facebook
2. Around the Way Publishing Blog
3. Black Planet Book Lovers 2 Blog
4. Short Books Showcase
5. Black History 365 Myspace Blog
6. New International Bookclub Guild at Facebook
7. Black Pearls Magazine Blog



WEEK FOUR: Life Knows No Bounds Book Tour

1. SistahFriend Book Club at Shelfari
2. Black Authors Network Community Blog
3. EDC Creations MySpace Blog
4. Black Pearls Magazine Sister Connection
5. Verbal Penetrations Blog
6. Written Magazine Blog
7. BlackPlanet Book of the Month
8. Andrea Barnes & Noble Review Showcase
Please post all of your book reviews to B&N to creat a buzz


Thank you for supporting new authors and EDC Creations Media Group Virtual Book Promotion!  This blog tour was brought to you by Ella Curry, the Black Authors Network Radio Show and EDC Creations Media Group. You can find out more about the book tours by visiting: http://www.edc-creations.com/

 

Excerpt: One Who Loves You More by Andrea Clinton

Life Knows No Bounds: One Who Loves You More
by Andrea Clinton

• Alisa is a money grubbing gold digger who sashays through her days wearing this title like a tiara. Feeling life’s all about the expensive gifts and money a man can give her, Alisa follows the steps of her mentor and basks in the glory of using men, until she stumbles upon Omar.

• Omar is an African American Muslim trying to fight his demons and find his way back to the Islamic life he knew as a child. Distraught over disagreements that divided the Muslim community a decade prior, where many Muslims became victim to inner city chaos, Omar became a product of his environment and is at the head of that chaos.

Tired of hearing her mother rant and rave about her gold digging ways, Alisa decides to take her great grandmother’s advice, "Always get a man who loves you more than you love him."   Stumbling upon Omar in his brand new Cadillac, Alisa decides to make him her man, or rather, her victim, or will the tables turn?   Hell erupts, splatters like geysers, while skeletons and bones fly out closets in, Life Knows No Bounds, “1 Who Luvs U More.”


Andrea Clinton: What Impact will this book have my readers?
Readers will learn about a very overlooked profession on the rise, "Gold Digging."  They'll get to see that there's more than what meets the eye when women toy with men's emotions and  use them for their hard earned money.


Excerpt from  1 Who Luvs U More

My Plight:
Some would say I was ungrateful, and I guess to a degree I was. But more than ungrateful, I was blind, too blind to see straight. Even now I can’t see what it is I should’ve done. I just know what I shouldn’t have done. And I know I wasn’t happy. I was unhappy with myself, with what was going on, and it was the unhappiness that drove me. It drove me to do things, drove me to where I am today, nowhere, with no one. Just sitting here playing the song, I know how it feels to be lonely by Morgana King, in my head, over and over and over again.

I was a mental-mess, and I mucked things up really bad, and now they can’t be fixed. Forgive me if my story’s scrambled, but how else can I tell it when my mind is scrambled. So, when my story sounds twisted, shaky, and unclear at times, just know, so is my mind. Why else would I be sitting here talking to a Greek statue of a white woman with cellulite thighs, barely any clothing and no pupils?  Yes, I’m really messed up in the head, and my nerves are shot. But that’s how it is when you see yourself as a casualty, and the world deems you the antagonist.   ###


RAWSISTAZ Book Review -- 4 Stars
"Life Knows No Bounds: 1 Who Loves You More,"  Andrea Clinton's first installment in the LIFE KNOWS NO BOUNDS chronicles, is a harsh realistic portrayal of urban love and life in mid-1980's New Jersey. Alisa, a boastful, self-proclaimed gold-digger, finds herself lost in a world of love and conflict as she tries and fails to apply her great-grandmother's wisdom to her complicated love life.

Alisa is well known in her hood for her selfish, gold-digging ways. Despite aggressive warnings from her family, she has mastered the game of getting a man for everything he has and gracefully moving on to the next. But when she hooks up with Omar, she soon realizes that she has entered into a game that she is ill-equipped to play.

Omar, a young, sexy hustler from around the way, knows what it takes to get Alisa's attention. He uses his flashy car and genteel manners to lure her in, but he has so much more in store for her. They start a tumultuous love affair that's riddled with gun fights, jealousy, expensive gifts, explosive arguments, and Alisa's spoiled rotten attitude. When Alisa's antics push Omar to the limit as he struggles with the conflict of his religion and his love for her, the future of their relationship is gravely threatened.  "Always get a man who loves you more than you love him", the powerful last words of her dying great-grandmother which Alisa vowed to follow. When she finally understands the meaning of those words, it may be too late, as she comes dangerously close to losing what she fought so hard to gain.

With Life Knows No Bounds: 1 Who Loves You More, Andrea Clinton has created a dynamic urban love story, decorated with realistic dialogue and hard-hitting pragmatism. The story was compelling and the characters were vibrant. Although Alisa was a spoiled brat with an ugly attitude, I found her to be relatable and worthy of my empathy. I felt Alisa's and Omar's struggle until the very end and found myself routing for them despite their flaws and troublesome relationship. Life is no fairytale and Clinton has colorfully portrayed that truth through this novel.  I was able to thoroughly enjoy the read. I recommend this novel for those looking for an explosive urban love story with a realistic perspective.
--- Reviewed by Guest Reviewer Monique D. Mensah, The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers



Author Andrea Clinton

About The Author:
Andrea Clinton is a novelist, poet and essayist, and aspiring screenwriter/filmmaker. As a Montclair State University graduate, she posses’ a degree in English, Film and Journalism. She’s the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization, People Helping People; worked as Editor in Chief of AMISTAD newspaper, New Jersey; and is presently working on a biography and screenplay featuring the life of her uncle George Clinton of Parliament/Funkadelic and the Clinton family.

Visit with Andrea at the Around-The-Way Publishing, LLC website: http://www.aroundthewaypublishing.com/.  To request a complimentary review copy and press kit, or to purchase copies for resale, call: (973) 280-2729. Tear sheets may be sent by email: AroundTheWayPub@aol.com.   ISBN-10: 0981837638

Unwrapped: Finding the Way Home by Fabiola Sully

Finding the Way Home by Fabiola Sully

This book is for any one who experience roadblacks, challenges, and obstacles in life. I am opening my soul and experiences to the world; so that readers will know that they are not alone.

I have written and published my book of poetry, "Finding the Way Home" in 2009.  It is a group of poems written from my early college years through the year 2008. The poems pertain to my life experiences, roads I have taken and obstacles I have faced growing up. I've dealt with my emotions and issues more effectively by writing them down. Whenever I felt low and going through situations, I wrote them down. My poems are about growth and finding your true self.  You can't find yourself or see what you are capable of, without dealing with the harsh roadblocks and walls in your life.  I have written this book for young girls and adult women who are dealing with a life of fear and doubts.

Book Video: Finding The Way Home

View the Book Video: Finding The Way Home @ this link, today.

WHO I AM by Fabiola Sully

I'm the one you tease
Because I'm different.
I'm the one you bother
Because I'm merely there
I'm the mat you step on
I'm the rock you kick around

And you think you can control me
Like I'm the clay and you're the sculptor
Like I'm the robot and you press my buttons
But you can't control me

I may be nothing as you say
But your words don't mean jack to me
I am SOMEBODY
Sooner or later you'll see me on the street
With my head held high,
While you're eating my dust
And I'll be wondering
Who's laughing now!

About Fabiola Sully

I am from Long Island, NY but born in Brooklyn. I have been writing since I was seventeen. I became interested in poetry after taking a writing course in high school, this continued on into my college years. Currently, I work full-time and write part-time. I started taking part in poetry slams and blogs to show off some of my work. You can view samples of my poetry work, book chapter excerpts  and blog on my Myspace page: www.myspace.com/fabiolaakamysticpoet   or on Facebook under Fabiola Sully. Other than poetry, I am into movies, reading, acting, wrestling and basketball, the arts & theater, music and world travel. If you have any questions or comments, you can email me at mysticpoet729@gmail.com  For more information, visit http://outskirtspress.com/findingthewayhome

Excerpt from Chapter Three- The Little Black Book of Success

The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women
Written by Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood and Rhonda Joy McLean


The Little Black Book of Success Video Launch



Little Black Book is a #1 Bestseller on Amazon in the "Management and Leadership" category!

In this engaging and invaluable “mentor in your pocket,” three dynamic and successful black female executives share their strategies to help all black women, at any level of their careers, play the power game—and win.

Rich with wisdom, this practical gem focuses on the building blocks of true leadership—self-confidence, effective communication, collaboration, and courage—while dealing specifically with stereotypes (avoid the Mammy Trap, and don’t become the Angry Black Woman) and the perils of self-victimization (don’t assume that every challenge occurs because you are black or female).

Some leaders are born, but most leaders are made—and The Little Black Book of Success will show you how to make it to the top, one step at a time.


Praise for The Little Black Book of Success
“Good counsel comes to us in myriad ways. The Little Black Book of Success clearly qualifies as one. It’s chock full of sound and thoughtful advice on how to build a successful business career. I commend it not just to black women, but to anyone seeking wisdom on leadership and success.”
—Richard Parsons, Chairman, Citigroup


“The Little Black Book of Success is, without a doubt, one of the most comprehensive and relevant books that women can read to achieve the job success they desire. It answers the tough questions, offers experience-based insights, and outlines strategies that are sure to make you a front-runner in the race to workplace excellence.”
—Elaine McCollins Flake, Co-Pastor, Greater Allen Cathedral


Excerpt from Chapter Three- The Little Black Book of Success

Racism Is No Excuse, but It Can Be a Motivator

As a Black women in America, you will be confronted by or exposed to racism, but instead of getting angry, letting it defeat you, get the best of you, keep you down, prevent you from growing, exploring, realizing your full potential, and manifesting your dreams, use racism as a motivator to accomplish your goals.

Allow the racism that exists to move you in a forward direction and make you all the more determined to achieve your goals so that no outside forces throw you off balance and make you lose focus on what it is you set out to achieve. In this case, your objective is to acquire the skill sets necessary to become a good leader, a better leader in the workplace.

A recent Harvard University study reveals that while most fair-minded managers judge you according to your merits, there are some who judge you according to unconscious stereotypes and attitudes. It’s the kind of prejudice that is not overt. It’s prejudice that’s subconscious and made through associations that are learned early on. Things commonly associated with each other like thunder and lightning, or gray hair and old age, don’t always coexist.

###

Excerpted from The Little Black Book of Success by Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, and Rhonda Joy McLean Copyright © 2010 by Elaine Meryl Brown. Excerpted by permission of One World/Ballantine, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.


ABOUT THE AUTHORS

ELAINE MERYL BROWN, former VP, Special Markets and Cinemax Group at HBO, is an Emmy® Award-winning writer and producer who has won numerous awards in the broadcast industry. In 2007, Brown was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” A favorite of Black Enterprise, she was featured in the magazine and at their Women of Power Summit. A Wheaton College Alumni Trustee and member of the Coalition of 100 Black Women (Bergen/Passaic Chapter), Brown is also the author of two novels published by One World. She lives in New Jersey.

MARSHA HAYGOOD is a powerful motivational speaker and a dynamic career and personal coach. She is the founder of StepWise Associates, LLC, a career and personal development consultancy that represents the culmination of her 25+ years experience in human resources. She was the EVP of Human Resources and Administration at New Line Cinema and at Orion Pictures, among other companies. Haygood has won numerous awards including the YMCA Black Achievement Award and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources Trailblazer Award. In 2005, Haygood was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” She and her husband live in New York and Florida.

RHONDA JOY MCLEAN is Deputy General Counsel of Time Inc. and former Assistant Regional Director of the Northeast Region of the Federal Trade Commission. A graduate of Yale Law School, she served as chair of its alumni association, which has more than 10,000 members, and was recently elected to its fund board of directors. In 2007, McLean was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” Born in Chicago, IL and reared in Smithfield, NC, McLean is a classically trained pianist and mezzo-soprano. She performs sacred music with chorales throughout the New York metropolitan area, where she resides.


Book: The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women
by Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, and Rhonda Joy McLean
Foreword by Essence® Magazine editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray

Visit the Author's Website: http://www.littleblackbookofsuccess.com/
 
 
 
 

Oh Me, Bumble Bee! by Rhonda Herring Dent

Oh Me, Bumble Bee! by Rhonda Herring Dent

This is a true story. Don’t you hate it when people start with that?  However, I must say this because what I am about to tell you is amazing. But it is believable if you believe that God can use anything, any situation or any circumstance to speak to us. Well, this particular day about 4 weeks ago I was enjoying a nice spring day during the weekend. I decided to repots some plants and a couple of rose bushes. I was very excited about doing this because like my Mother, I love flowers, plants, gardens and it is one of my favorite leisurely pastimes.

As I proceeded on my deck, all my gear in check, I encountered a bumble bee. I’d seen the bumble bee or a bumble bee that always hung around my deck. I always ignored the bumble bee because it did not seem to pose a threat. I would go to another area of the deck and swing or sit down and enjoy the outdoors. Occasionally, it would flutter over toward me and I’d swat at it and it would flutter back to “his side of the deck”. Well, this particular day, Mr. Bumble bee was center stage, fluttering in mid air. I stood and looked at it through the glass door. I didn’t give much thought to him because like before he didn’t pose a threat. I assumed it would be like any other time, I’d go to my area and he would stay in his. I proceeded out the door and he did not move. I stopped in my tracks and lightly swatted at it. He kind of fluttered away and came right back; center stage. I tried to ignore him and started to re-pot a plant. He began to buzz around me as if I was on his turf. I took the paper page that was wrapped around the bottom of the pot and swung at him. He still lingered and buzzed around me. I began to think that he might sting me, so I began to swing a little harder. This went on for about 10 minutes or so. I was actually having a fight with a bumble bee and on my own turf. I thought this is ridiculous; you don’t pay any bills around here (one of my favorite things to tell our 16 year old from time to time). After about 10 or 15 more minutes I figured that the paper bag wasn’t going to work. I went inside and glared at the bumble bee through the door. I was really agitated. As I glared at him through the door I thought these insects are getting bolder and bolder these days.

I decided that I would just re-pot the plant inside, by the door. As I was trying to pour the dirt in the pot I glanced to see if Mr. Bee was still there, I accidently stumbled, spilling potting soil on the floor and against the base board. I had made a big mess and was very irritated by now. I was ready to get rid of him for good. I decided to get the broom. I had gotten a little afraid of the bumble bee and his boldness so I cracked the screen door and swung at the bumble bee. He still held his stance. This went on for about 30 minutes. I went inside and repotted the rose bush and watched the bee lingering around in mid air. After I re-potted the plant I cracked the screen door and swung at him so that I could put the plant outside on the deck. When I swung he fluttered away. I picked up the plant, ran out on the deck, sat the plant down and started to run back in the house. I turned around to look behind me and there he was dead in pursuit of me as if to say, “You better get back in the house.” I stood there watching in disbelief thinking, “What in the world?”

Suddenly, it dawned on me that I was fighting with all my might to no avail. I was exhausted, frustrated and felt defeated and obviously it was a fight that I wasn’t going to win because I was using the wrong weapon! What I needed was some insect killer. I began to think about how sometimes we fight the enemy with all our strength, our might, our will power, all our mind power, all our determination and still lose the battle every time. That spoke to my heart in volumes. God’s word is the weapon we should use to defeat the enemy. No matter what we are going through or what we are fighting or what the conflict is or what the enemy is trying to do, we need to use the right weapon. When our backs are against the wall we can come out swinging. Throwing a right (I let the peace of God rule in my heart, I refuse to worry about anything (Col 3:15)) and then a left (Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)) and then an upper cut (Satan the Lord rebuke thee) and get a TKO every time. When we know the Word we are in authority over the enemy because the word tells us that we have authority and power over the enemy. God’s Word is the right weapon to defeat the attacks of the enemy.

And as far as Mr. Bumble Bee, I got into my car, went to Home Depot, purchased some insect killer and took care of him. To my amazement he was still there. My first attempt to spray him was through the screen door but that didn’t work. It just left residue on the screen. I knew I had to face him head on. I eased out the door, but this time I boldly took my stance. I was assured that I had the right weapon and began to spray away. I had to spray him several times but needless to say, I repotted all my flowers in peace and I haven’t seen a bumble bee since. I am sure at some point I might see another one, but next time I will use the right weapon and save myself a lot of grief. And yes, this should be in Ripley’s believe it or not!

“Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you (Luke 10:19).”  That authority and power is the Word of God


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Rhonda K. Herring is releasing her new book, Ever Changing. She gives a bold account of spiritual development and growth that led her to look within herself for the strength and courage to make a difference in her life and in others. Her journey takes her readers from childhood, to adulthood, to purpose.

Rhonda Herring lives in northern Virginia and is a Senior Program Analyst for the Department of Defense. She has been with the Department of Defense for more than twenty-two years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Ever Changing is the story of how one woman submitted herself to God’s will and how He sustained her in her darkest moments. She describes the intimate details of her relationship with God and how He transformed her life. Based on the beloved “Serenity Prayer” that was instilled in the author as a young child. How she learned the true meaning of the prayer and how it sustained her through her trials and tribulations. She finds the courage to change the things she can and the “wisdom” to know the difference.

Ever Changing was written for those who do not understand why they are going through difficult times and experiencing constant changes in their lives. It is for those who are seeking the wisdom to identify the things they can change and to be wise enough to leave those things they can not change to God. This testimony teaches self-acceptance, acceptance of others and the acceptance of change with the understanding that unless God sails the ship we are afloat.


Ever Changing: Inside Outward by Rhonda K. Herring
Author's Website: http://www.e-rhonda.net/

ISBN-10: 1581693095
ISBN-13: 978-1581693096

Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality
Christian Life - Spiritual Growth

Purchase from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Ever-Changing-Rhonda-Herring/dp/1581693095

The Truth As I See It by Nakia R. Laushaul

The Truth As I See It by Nakia R. Laushaul
Author's Personal Introduction

I love the written word. Ever since I was nine years old I knew that I wanted to write. I still remember the first real novel I ever read, and the impact that novel still has over my life. Somehow, life, love, and discontentment squeezed itself in between the coils of Gods purpose for my existence. I buried my dreams. Whatever the case, it doesnt matter anymore. What is important is that I am here now and oh how happy I am to be exactly where I am, introducing myself to you. I commit to the integrity of my thoughts soulfully arranged on paper.

I know this is the first you may have heard of me, but it won't be the last.

This is my dream, not to write poetry, but to tell stories. Stories that bruise, scab over, and finally heal as though there was never a bruise. There were so many nights I lie awake crying and thinking about what it really meant to be a woman, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a member of society, and most importantly a child of God. I thought it was insomnia (smile), but it was purpose calling out to me.

Finally, I put pen to paper and I let my fingers tap incessantly across my keyboard until the joy and pain within poured out of my spirit. I offer to you my stories in the form of poetry & prose. This is The Truth A I See It. Please enjoy.

Poem: Empty
by Nakia R. Laushaul


I feel like an empty circle
With no center.
God pencil me in
Use ink . . .
Hurry




From the book The Truth As I See It
Copyright; All Rights Reserved by Nakia R. Laushaul

View the video book introduction here:  http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CP8jN9GQ

Peer Book Review for The Truth As I See It:

Have you ever felt a heart beat on paper? Experience Nakia Laushaul's The Truth as I See It. This talented newcomer has a distinctive voice that must be heard, offering insights on everything from love-turned-hate to the tentative joys of parenthood to all-important self-appreciation. Follow the poet's voice as she narrates the peaks and valleys in this journey we call life. The Truth as I See It reads like magic and will leave you forever changed. --Marguerite Benjamin Parker, author of A Debt Too Deep

Sincerely,
Nakia R. Laushaul

Nakia R. Laushaul, author of The Truth As I See It
• Website: http://www.nakiarlaushaul.com/
• Follow the Blog: http://nakialaushaul.blogspot.com/
• Book Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq5T85tMQ68

Please Tweet about this article, repost and share at Facebook and tell all ya friends about The Truth As I See It. Thanks!

Book Intro: Chocolate High by Mika Barnes

Intimate Conversation with Author Mika (Barnes)

Chocolate High is Mika's debut novel. She resides in South Florida with her family. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Northwood University and her M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University. She is currently hard at work on her next project. For the latest news on Mika, please visit www.mikabarnes.com


Book Intro: Chocolate High by Mika Barnes
How do you say goodbye to the one you love? Is this even an option when you’ve invested your body, mind, and soul into your relationship? Charisse Farrell is a successful, beautiful corporate attorney who has it all, but when the love of her life David Richards betrays her, she has to reevaluate her future. Tempted by the desire to love again and her need for revenge Charisse is haunted by a demon from her past that turns her life upside down. When love knocks her down, Charisse has to get back up fighting. Fighting for love.

Read the First Chapter Excerpt here:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=42496404




Q:: Introduce us to your main characters. Who are your favorites and why?
A:: My main characters are Charisse Farrell and David Richards, your modern day perfect couple in appearances. She is a beautiful, successful corporate attorney and he is a handsome, strapping CEO of his own financial firm. They were best friends growing up who loved each other for as long as they could remember, but now giving their relationship a try isn’t as easy as they thought it would be. Charisse is torn after David’s betrayal. David, on the other hand, doesn’t feel his betrayal was severe enough to jeopardize their relationship.

My favorite characters are actually the supporting characters: Terry Wright, because he epitomizes the true definition of a good man, and Kyla Donaldson, Charisse’s best friend, because she keeps you laughing with her over-the-top personality and all-about-me swagger.



Q:: Take us inside Chocolate High. What are two major events taking place?
A:: The first major event is when Charisse finds out that David has betrayed her. The second explores what extreme a woman will go to get her man.


Q:: What makes you powerful as a person and a writer?
A:: I’ve always been a person with something to say. Moreover, the purpose of my message has changed the lives of many within my community. I am only one person but I understand my actions can effect positive change. I pay it forward as often as possible and I try to reflect this same philosophy through my writing. Yes, it’s drama in my writing but there is also a message for the reader to walk away with. The general premise of my writing is: Sometimes you have to go through something to get something.


Q:: Who are your mentors? Where do you find your inspiration?
A:: Jessica Tilles has been an invaluable mentor throughout this process. A lot of times in this industry other authors or industry insiders aren’t willing to share what they’ve learned in their journey, but Jess was the exact opposite. Her guidance exposed me to the business without the high-priced lessons a mistake can cost you. My Mom, a gifted writer in her own right has also been my mentor and biggest supporter from day one. Watching her craft a story or poem has inspired me to strive to create great stories and memorable characters.

I find inspiration in everyday life. Everyone has a story to tell and I try to breathe that life into every character that graces the pages of my book. I always try to put a twist or something extra special into my characters to remind my readers of people they know or have met in passing or in their own lives. Creating this connection is inspiring.


Q:: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from Chocolate High?
A:: I want my readers to understand their “self-worth.” This is important because before a person can tackle relationship issues or any issue affecting their life, they must know and understand their true worth. Having this understanding sets the limits to what we will and won’t tolerate in a relationship. It’s okay to let go. Society has us so convinced that it’s better to have a piece of something than nothing at all, so it seems at times in relationships we lose the true essence of who we are as a person to hold on to a love that was doomed from the start.


Q:: How can our readers reach you online? Share with us your online contact info.
A:: For the latest news and information, readers can reach me at my Web site: http://www.mikabarnes.com/  or by email:  mika@mikabarnes.com.


Other online sources are:
facebook.com/tamikabarnes
twitter.com/mikabarnes
myspace.com/mikawrites
http://www.authorsden.com/mika
Visit my Chocolate High Fan Page on Facebook


Chocolate High by Mika (Barnes)
Purchase from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-High-Mika/dp/0984425802


Read the first chapter of Chocolate High by Mika

New: Forgiven by Vanessa Miller

FORGIVEN by Vanessa Miller
#25 in Amazon Top 100 Books in > Romance > Multicultural

Pastor Jerome Tyler (JT) Thomas is back!

But this time JT is committed to God and his family in ways he never considered possible. After losing everything because of past indiscretions, JT realizes that he doesn’t want to live without God or his family and begins to turn his life around. But his wife hasn’t forgotten the dirt in his backyard and denies JT the very thing he craves – forgiveness. When his mother-in-law and ex-mistress hatch a plot to destroy him, JT discovers that he will need all the Holy Ghost power he can muster to stay true.

Cassandra Thomas loves her husband, and wants their marriage to work. But JT destroyed her trust when he cheated on her with one woman after the next. Try as she might, Cassandra just can’t forgive. The trust and the thrill is gone from her marriage. In times of trouble, Cassandra has always turned to God for help, but can God soften her heart enough so that she can forgive a man like JT?



EXCERPT: Prologue from Uncorrected Proof

Crouched down between a rusty old Lincoln with a playboy symbol on the driver’s side door and a red Pontiac with a busted rearview window, while a maniac wielded a tire iron that had already clipped her in the leg once, Diane Benson decided it was time to call her husband and beg for his forgiveness.

She had left Cleveland, Ohio about eight months ago after leaving her three oldest children with her husband, Joe Benson. She then drove to Pastor JT Thomas’ house and left her three month old daughter with him and his wife. The way Diane saw it, every child needed to be with his or her own daddy and she didn’t care how JT and Cassandra’s life was disrupted. JT got what he deserved anyway. What kind of man pastors a church while sleeping with the deacon’s wife? But JT hadn’t only been sleeping with her. Diane could have understood if he had slipped into sin because he just couldn’t resist her voluptuous curves and Angelina Jollie pouty lips. But that hadn’t been the case.

JT would sleep with anything in a knee high skirt willing to kick her pumps off and get busy. Too bad she got pregnant before she figured that one out. She had been prepared to leave her husband for JT so they could start a new life with their baby. But JT suddenly developed a conscious and realized that a husband’s place was at home with his wife. He expected her to just continue living a lie with Benson. JT never imagined that she would tell Benson the truth. But she had, and Benson beat the snot out of him.

Soon after JT got his beat down, Diane had become fed up with the whole matter. So after dropping Lily off with her daddy, she left town with Brian Johnson. Brian had been the mechanic at the auto dealership her husband owned. But Brian was fixing more than automobiles and Joe hadn’t had a clue about it. Brian had been her side kick. When JT wasn’t acting right, she spent her free time with Brian. She may have imagined herself as first lady of Faith Outreach while fooling around with JT, but Brian was the one who made her weak at the knees. She couldn’t lie if she wanted to, that man held some type of demonic power over her and she lived to do his bidding. Actually, Lily could have been Brian’s baby just as well as JT’s. But Brian said that since she had been sleeping with JT more than him around the time that she’d gotten pregnant, Lily more than likely belonged to JT. Funny thing was, when the DNA test came back and it proved that Brian had been right; JT was Lily’s father, Brian got so mad that he up and left her in Jacksonville, Florida with only twenty dollars to her name.

That’s when she met Darryl Mills. Darryl was a house flipper. Since the economy turned and not many people were buying homes, he’d given Diane the key to a fabulous four bedroom home in the suburbs. Diane loved the house and was trying to figure out how she could convince Darryl to give it to her instead of putting it back on the market. Diane almost had Darryl convinced, until his nosy wife figured out that she was living in the house rent free. That’s why Diane was crouched between two cars right now. The maniac with the tire iron was Darryl’s wife.

“You might as well come out from between these cars. ‘Cause I really don’t care if I bang these cars up, just as long as you get banged up in the process.”

Crawling on the ground, trying to move further into the jam packed parking lot and away from the tire iron, Diane said, “I don’t even know you, lady. Why are you doing this?”

“You know me well enough to sleep with my husband,” the woman said as she angled her obese body between the two closely parked cars and swung at Diane.

Thankful that the woman missed her that time, Diane stood up and ran as quickly as she could through the maze of cars.

Darryl’s wife was simply too big to move any further in between the Lincoln and the Pontiac, so she couldn’t catch Diane, but she screamed as loud as she could, “I’m throwing all your stuff out of my house and onto the street. If you come back here to get any of it, I’m going to shoot you.”

Once Diane was a safe distance away from certain death, she used the cell phone that Darryl bought her to call Benson. When he answered she said, “Hey, Joe, I was just calling to check on the kids. How are they doing?”

“They miss you, Diane, that’s how they’re doing,” Joe told her.

“I know. I know,” she said, like a woman who’d learned her lesson. “I should have never left them. I miss all my babies.”

“You received court papers about a custody hearing for Lily last week.”

“What?” she said as if she couldn’t believe this was happening to her. “What am I supposed to do, Joe? I don’t even have a way to get back to Cleveland right now.”

“The hearing is next month. I’ll get you an airline ticket. Just tell me where you are.”

That’s what she wanted to hear, but she tried to tamper down her excitement as she said, “I don’t know, Benson. The only reason I didn’t turn around and come right back home eight months ago was because I was scared about how you would treat me.”

Benson was almost seven feet tall, bulky and strong, but with his wife, he might as well have been a midget. “Have I ever given you a reason to fear me? It’s not just the kids missing you, Diane. I miss you. Just come home.”

“What about Lily? I can’t just forget that I have another child.”

“I wasn’t sure that you wanted Lily since you left her with JT.”

“She’s my child,” Diane said angrily. JT wasn’t just going to run over her with some custody hearing, telling some judge that his wife would be a better mother than she was.

Benson cleared his throat. “Just come home, Diane. We can work on getting Lily back from JT once we’re back together.”

“Okay, Benson. I’m in Jacksonville, Florida. Go online and order the ticket and I’ll pick it up at the airport.” Diane smiled as she hung up the phone. Benson had always been at her beck and call. She would go home, but she would also make JT pay for the agony she felt had been inflicted on her because of his refusal to leave his wife and marry her. And she would start by taking Lily away from him.

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Purchase signed copies from Vanessa: http://www.vanessamiller.com  



ABOUT VANESSA MILLER

Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. She started writing as a child, spending countless hours either reading or writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels. Vanessa’s creative endeavors took on new meaning in1994 when she became a Christian. Since then, her writing has been centered on themes of redemption, often focusing on characters facing multi-dimensional struggles.

Vanessa’s novels have received rave reviews, with several appearing on Essence Magazine’s Bestseller’s List. Miller’s work has receiving numerous awards, including “Best Christian Fiction Mahogany Award” and the “Red Rose Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction.” Miller graduated from Capital University with a degree in Organizational Communication. She is an ordained “exhorter” in her church, explaining, “God has called me to exhort readers and to help them rediscover their place with the Lord.”

Vanessa Miller and her family live in Dayton, Ohio. Visit Vanessa on the Internet: http://www.vanessamiller.com/



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