Yesterday's Promise

Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour

We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.

Vanessa Miller of Dayton , Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying and Abundant Rain. To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series and the Storm Series. The books in the Rain Series are: Former Rain , Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. The books in the Storm Series are: Rain Storm and Through The Storm . These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.

Yesterday’s Promise is the first book of a series entitled, Second Chance of Love. Whitaker House plans to release the next two books in October 2010 and January 2011. Visit her online at www.VanessaMiller.com.
About the Book


Melinda Johnson has always felt called to ministry. So, when her father, Bishop Langston Johnson, decides to step down after thirty years of leadership at Omega Christian Center, it seems only natural for her to take his place. But Bishop Johnson feels led by a God who has other things in mind, and to succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks-a man who is opposed to female pastors, not to mention the fact that he is Melinda’s ex-fiancé.
Feeling defeated, Melinda nevertheless maintains her position as the church’s Missions and Community Outreach Director. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring-and rekindles long-suppressed attraction, which grows only stronger when Melinda develops a relationship with Steven’s precious daughter, Brianna, who’s still struggling with the death of her mother.
Can Steven and Melinda set aside past pains, forgive each other, and learn to love again? Or will their opposing positions regarding women preachers keep them forever at odds?

View Book Trailer



Tell Us About Your Favorite Female Minister
We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.



View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/WomeninMinistry

Transformation

Transformation
Lori McKenney is a Preacher, Teacher, Praise Dancer, and Prayer Warrior. Prophetess Lori McKenney is a very passionate person when it comes to the people of God. She has encouraged people through the Word of God by reaching out to the destitute, the forgotten, and those looked over by society. Wherever she goes Prophetess words of encouragement bring forth a deliverance that transforms the lives of the people because of the anointing of God. She has a mandate on her life to preach the Word in season and out of season. God has anointed this woman of God to preach to the nations for this is the hour of promotion from God.

About the Book

Many believers have a hard time accepting transformation is a part of God's plan for their lives. Changes happen every day. We accept address changes, income changes, management changes, and we even agree that our physical appearance changes, but we do not embrace that God wants to change our sinful nature to that of a Holy people. Change is something we all need; however, few are willing to make the change from mediocre to greatness.

Prophetess Lori McKenney shares about the four stages a caterpillar must achieve before it transforms into a beautiful butterfly. In correlation, she imparts how the heart and mind is connected to the complete metamorphosis process. The powerful scriptures and motivational quotes found in "Transformation" also reveal the treasures of how God wants you to have a successful life. A must have for your personal library and chat groups. "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."(Psalm 37:5)

Transformation can be found at most online bookstores and www.amazon.com. My website is www.lsktransformation.com.


A Message from Lori McKenney



View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/TransformationBlogTour.

Leadership Building Blocks

Celebrate Women in Leadership Series
with Dawn McCoy

During the month of March 2010, Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks will highlight great women in leadership during Women’s History Month.

Debra:
Thank you for allowing me to be a guest blogger today at Simply Said Reading Accessories. Today, in the Celebrate Women in Leadership series, I want to highlight former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was most famous for serving as an advocate for civil rights and advocate for women’s rights. In that same vein, she worked to enhance the status of working women, although she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed it would adversely affect women.
Roosevelt was known internationally as a prominent author, speaker, politician, and activist. In the 1940s, Roosevelt was one of the co-founders of Freedom House and supported the formation of the United Nations. Roosevelt chaired the committee that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and some came to call her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.
Roosevelt also chaired the John F. Kennedy administration's committee that prompted a second-wave of feminism establishing the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. She was always reading, willing and able to courageously speak up and be an advocate.


What is so memorable about Eleanor Roosevelt is that she did not allow a title to refrain her from being active. She did not allow circumstance to confine her. She did not allow gender or age to inhibit her from speaking up. She once said that “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Dawn McCoy has written a fresh and timely workbook, on leadership in todays un-certain world. She offers excellent rules and tips to help lay the foundation of building blocks, we need to use to get anywhere we go; as long as it's up. Leadership Building gives great tips and "Priceless Jewels" of advice. Dawn uses real life circumstances with real life solutions. 4****


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dawn McCoy is author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider's Guide to Success. As one of the youngest elected African-American elected to the Sacramento City Unified School Board, McCoy shares seven leadership fundamentals in her book. Inspiring readers to be top in their field, Dawn shares her insights based upon twenty years serving as a nonprofit and government executive.

A motivational speaker, coach, and founder of Flourish Leadership Group, a leadership development and communications firm, Dawn is dedicated to transforming ordinary people into extraordinary leaders. In recent years, she has worked with organizations to develop their vision and create phenomenal results. Dawn has worked with hundreds of individuals to help them capture their spirit of leadership and truly become the effective leaders they were meant to be.

Read an excerpt online and visit the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/LeadershipBuildingBlocks

Blog visitors who leave comments OR radio callers with questions for Dawn are eligible to win an autographed copy of Leadership Building Block and a copy of the Effective Community Engagement CD.

Searching For Tina Turner

Searching For Tina Turner
I have gotten to used to easy reads. Things I could read easily without much effort, not much of a challenge. Easy words, simple subject matter or same subject different title. So when I started reading Searching For Tina Turner, I hate to say I was expecting same topic different day. What a pleasant surprise. At first, it reminded me of Terry McMilan.. I love complex books that make you think and feel and identify with the characters and subject, and make you read slow to savor the favor. Lena grabbed me into her world. Always doing and settling and waiting for her turn to live. She has a great life, a hubby, two kids and a dream. She really doesn’t want much, all she wants is to be herself and do what she’s always dreamed of. She wants to do something that makes her feel. She has become uncomfortable in her own skin and circumstance and starts reminiscing of better days and Tina Turner.

Discontentment makes you do things to satisfy an urge. It also makes you feel disconnected to your self.

Lena is tried of waiting for her turn and takes it. She leaves her “perfect” life to satisfy her life long dream that was always being put on hold. She decides to embark on a journey to find herself and Tina Turner. The people who she’s put her life on hold for are not getting that she has to do this for her, and it’s not about them. Lena jets off to Europe with a friend and a camera and Tina’s sprit in her heart. She has tickets to see her in concert and while waiting for that day, she starts to discover the Lena , she has always wanted to be.

I loved this book. I call a grown woman read. It’s about taking your control back and about being uncomfortable in a too comfortable situation.
5*****

About The Author/

As a teenager, Jacqueline enjoyed telling stories to her younger cousins. To this day, they describe her as a master storyteller. So, it wasn't a surprise to her family when she began writing a novel. She kept diaries, wrote poetry and had stories published in a local newspaper. But Jacqueline put writing aside while attending college. After graduating from California State University, Hayward in sociology, she worked in sales for a major corporation. She married, raised a family and in 1999 took a creative writing class on a dare, from herself, and happily found her love of writing re-ignited.

By a lucky coincidence, that same year she discovered the Voices of Our Nations (VONA) writing workshops and participated over the next four years in workshops with Christina Garcia, Danzy Senna, Junot Diaz, Ruth Forman and Terry McMillan. VONA provided a safe haven for a new writer still unsure of her abilities, yet eager to learn. She attributes much of her growth as a writer to the VONA workshops.

In 2004, Jacqueline formed the Finish Party (featured in O Magazine, October 2007) along with seven other women writers-of-color. The Finish Party meets monthly to workshop their projects-in-progress. Jacqueline calls these outstanding women her mentors and advisors, her friends and the toughest (and most loving) readers around. The group provides strong support for each other's writing, good meals, friendship and fun.

Jacqueline describes herself as an avid reader and lover of books, excellent cook, aspiring photographer (all the photos on this site were taken by Jacqueline) and world traveler. She lives in Northern California and, though she loves that city and all of the friends she has there, she takes frequent breaks to fly off to foreign destinations.

Searching for Tina Turner, her first novel, will be published by Grand Central Publishing in January 2010 — and, as you can imagine, she is thrilled!

Take Off the Mask, Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM

Take Off the Mask
Who I’ve Become is NOT who I AM, is Sonya Visor’s first non-fiction book. Her passion is to minister to the people who hide behind masks. Sonya’s calling is to break and destroy the yokes of bondage, releasing the power of God into the lives of others by the preached Word and prayers of deliverance. When you can find the strength, to step into who you truly are; you can find the strength to BE THE (Tru U). TruU Ministries is the women’s ministry that God has charged her with to help other’s become free.
Sonya shares her heart with her husband, Pastor Tony Visor, who she calls her better half, for nineteen years. She and her husband have ministered effectively in the city of Racine together at NCC since 1999. Sonya is blessed to love two sons, Jason and Tony, Jr. Visit her online at sonyavisor.com.

Sonya Visor’s story is like so many others. She was molested as a child and formed a mask to not show the pain she was going through. She became what she felt, was in control of the situations, but all the mask did was alter her identity. After a suicide attempt. Sonya found that the mask only continued the circumstances of what she had become. Sonya became the person she now is by un-masking herself and is now living and teaching others to receive the gift and being who you were meant to be.
3 stars

About the Book
Who are you when nobody’s looking? It’s time to take off what hides who you truly are…the mask! Are you tired of going around family, friends and church folk with a frozen smile and a broken heart? Unmask your true identity and learn your real name as pastor’s wife and playwright Sonya Visor cuts to the heart with dynamic testimony of sexual molestation at a young age.
BEING SILENT GAVE POWER to the hands that touched her life. Can hands meant to protect you also have the power to crush your identity? YES! But when we stop allowing a mask of shame to hold us captive with CLOSED mouths, WE CAN let Jesus be real in our lives.
Discover who you have become and embrace who you really are in a book that goes past the pews and what other’s think about you — to bring glory to God by being transparent and transformed. It’s time to take off your mask and let the true you show up!

A Message from Sonya



View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at href="http://bit.ly/TakeOffTheMask">http://bit.ly/TakeOffTheMask

Message from a Mistress

Message from a Mistress
Will 160 characters lead to the end of someone’s marriage?
By: NIOBIA BRYANT

Synopsis---

1-SENTENCE

A sexy, unforgettable and drama filled novel about love, infidelity, and the importance of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer... From bestselling author, Niobia Bryant

“Very Impressive” –Cyndey Rax, author of My Sister’s Ex

(March 2010) National bestselling author Niobia Bryant releases her seventeeth novel, Message from a Mistress which is loosely based on the 1940's movie A Letter to Three Wives.
Jaime Hall, Renee Clinton, and Aria Livewell all reside with their spouses in the affluent gated community, Richmond Hills, in New Jersey. The ladies are all best friends with their Richmond Hill neighbor, Jessa Bell–a sexy and single socialite. Trouble is Jessa Bell has just sent them all a text message taunting that she has run away with one of their husbands. That message opens the door to each of the woman’s unspoken insecurities in their marriage as each recalls incidents that hint that their husband is the one. And with the husbands away—and unreachable-- on a chartered fishing boat all day and Jessa not answering her phone, they have all day to wonder…and to worry about scandalous secrets of their own.
Throughout the book–which takes place in one day–Jessa Bell also recalls her steamy relationship with her unidentified lover. Everything about their explicit romps are revealed from the day she first seduced him up until the day he agreed to leave his wife–her friend–for her.

BOOK TRAILER---

http://www.youtube.com/user/niobiabryant#p/u/2/bNv9llajroY


About the Author--

Niobia Bryant a self described chameleon of the written word has contributed to the book world since 1999 with the release of her first short story Hush, Hush. Since then she has garnered publishing deals with 3 major houses, Simon & Schuster, Dafina and Harlequin. As a full-time writer she has penned over 15 novels using three different monikers including Simone Bryant (Young Adult) and Meesha Mink (Urban Fiction) within four genres of fiction literature targeted for African American females including romance and contemporary. In 2010 she will release three new books a contemporary, a romance and a young-adult within months of each other. This Newark, NJ native splits her time between South Carolina and New Jersey.

Communicate with Niobia Bryant

TWITTER @infiniteink

FACEBOOK--Niobia Bryant| Meesha Mink

Receive updates on appearances,bookclub meetings, awards, new releases, deals and more www.niobiabryant.com

Romance Slam Jam will be taking a cruise leaving out of Miami. The authors will be doing a mass signing from 6 to 9 PM April 9, 2010 at the Wyndham hotel. Please pass this on to other book lovers in your Florida data base. I hope to see you there. You will be able to purchase books at the signing. Come meet, greet and support Romance Slam Jam's 15th Anniversary..........
Thanks Debra

Definition of Love by Nanette M. Buchanan

The Definition of Love by Nanette M. Buchanan

He said he knew a little about "true love", my ears tuned in.....
It had been weeks, no months, a few years.....since we had been just friends.

We had gone to heights where I felt pure pleasure, total ecstasy,
We had explored our minds, entwined our bodies, engaged in shared fantasies.

He said he knew what to say but didn't know what it truly meant
It had be said over and over we were the others angel......the love heaven sent.

We took no chances playing the other for a fool,
Our relationship was based on honesty, it was our silent rule.

He said he lived this night in his dreams from the time we met
We both new what was expected, our love would die now or move on to the next step.

I tried to tell him I loved him, what happened in the past, was explained and defined
His past, their love, was not our struggle, not a part of our time.

He said he thought he loved once before and failed, but found it was not true
Today she told him he was a father, and after three years, what was he to do

He said he didn't really know why he never knew about his responsibility,
But he was now known as "Daddy" to a little girl that was three.

He recognized himself in her tiny face and bright eyes,
He didn't want to lose our love for another, I listened, he cried.

We share our love with his angel, we know this was not a mistake.......
The definition of love........it's never too late.

Copyright 2010, Nanette Buchanan, I Pen Designs


Books by Author Nanette M. Buchanan
• Bruised Love
• Family Secrets, Lies & Alibis
• A Different Kind of Love

Author Contact Information
• Website: http://www.ipendesigns.net/
• Video Postcard: http://www.audioacrobat.com/note/CR5Q90VQ

My Mother’s Child

My Mother’s Child Dwan Abrams

Dwan Abrams is a full-time novelist, freelance editor, and publisher. She’s the best-selling author of My Mother’s Child (the sequel to Divorcing the Devil), Married Strangers, Divorcing the Devil, Only True Love Waits, and The Scream Within. She’s the founder, publisher, and editorial director of Nevaeh Publishing, LLC a small press independent publishing house. She’s currently signed to Urban Christian, an imprint of Urban Books/Kensington. Her sixth novel, the second book in the Married Series, is set to hit national bookshelves in 2011.




About the Book
Lyric Stokes lives, by most standards, a charmed life. Married to Michael Stokes, a prominent heart surgeon, she has financial security and lives in the lap of luxury. All is not perfect, though. Lyric feels inadequate because she gave birth to a daughter, rather than the son that her husband so desperately wanted.
After an unexpected turn of events, Lyric discovers that she’s pregnant again, but now she has to decide whether she even wants to keep the child she has longed for. She seeks solace in her church, where her daughter also feels at home; but they can’t get Michael to join them. Disagreeing with organized religion, he has put his job before all else, including God. The distance between the couple grows further every day.
Nigel Fredericks has a history of stalking women. He’s been accused, but never convicted. Now he’s set his sights on Lyric. She’s at a low point in her life, and Nigel knows just how to take advantage of that vulnerability. Lyric’s life is turned upside down; Nigel is like a cancer eating away at her mental stability, her marriage, and ultimately, her life. Will Michael reevaluate his priorities and his faith in time to save his family?

Listen to an excerpt from My Mother’s Child


Visit Dwan online at http://dwanabrams.com

My girls have been busy

Donna Hill celebrates her 20th year anniversary this year. Most of you know how much I LOVE Donna! Her newest highly anticipated release, What Mother Never Told Me, the sequel to her highly acclaimed ground breaker for her Rhythm’s, drops today March 1, 2010.
Donna has also been offered a 4 book deal. You Go Girl!


What Mother Never Told Me
MARCH 1, 2010
The long-awaited sequel to RHYTHMS, Parris McKay is confronted with a truth she never believed was possible. The revelation turns her life upside down as she begins a quest to answer a two-generation secret that her grandmother took to her grave. In her pursuit of the truth, she meets two incredible women who are battling with their own secret pasts. As the truth begins to unfold, these dynamic women come to realize that there truly is only six-degrees of separation.
A story of healing, hope, love and forgiveness. WHAT MOTHER NEVER TOLD ME is a book for every daughter, every mother, every family.

What Mother Never Told Me by Donna Hill is one of the most engaging novels I have read on the subject of mothers and daughters. From page one the reader is drawn into the life of Parris McKay as she goes in search of the mother she had been told was dead for 30 years. The story slowly and surely allows the reader to see and feel how and why the deception took place. The story is so well-told that at times I felt as though the mother had betrayed me. However, once I saw the story unfold, my perspective changed, as did my understanding.

Even more compelling is the love story component of Parris and Nick, the man she is in love with. Also the story of the love of her mother's life is very compelling. The back stories about Celeste, a blue-blood, socialite and her mother, as well as Leslie, an overweight, interior designer and her mother are just as fascinating. The unexpected bond between the three women also speaks of sisterhood and the support that women can only give other women. There are also many other romantic layers and flavors that make this book a literary delight.

I recommend What Mother Never Told Me to all readers who love a wonderfully told story.

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Angelia Menchan
APOOO BookClub

“In 2010, I will be celebrating my twenty year anniversary in publishing! I owe my thanks and my longevity to each and every reader who has supported me throughout the years. In recognition of this momentous occasion” Donna Hill

Uptown

The Dynamic Duo
Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant releases Uptown March 2, 2010 I am a huge fan of these two Fabulous ladies

From the bestselling dynamic duo who gave us What Doesn’t Kill You, comes a story as big as New York City itself. Enter the world of Uptown where you’ll find a prominent New York family strained to the breaking point by the high stakes Manhattan Real Estate Industry…

After twenty years of Foreign Service abroad, Avery Lyons returns to New York when her mother and uncle suffer a serious car accident. The tragedy brings the family together, but Avery is not happy about reuniting with her cousin, Dwight, from whom she has been estranged since the fallout over a college scandal. Avery no longer recognizes the tony, prestigious neighborhood of her childhood but the same old family dynamics and secrets are all too familiar.

Heir to a real estate empire, Dwight is willing to do anything to realize his aging and demanding father’s dream: Dixon Plaza, a luxury high-rise development on Central Park North, the last undeveloped border of the city’s famed emerald park. There’s only one thing in his way: Avery has inherited a share of the property Dwight needs. She’s more than willing to sell until she starts dating a reporter on a mission to uncover the truth behind the rumored shady dealings surrounding the complex.

Uptown is DeBerry and Grant like you’ve never seen them before—a poignant exploration of one woman’s quest for identity and the true price of greed, politics, unfettered ambition--- and forgiveness. Prepare for a steamy, provocative, sexy, turbulent read


Glorious by Bernice McFadden

Bernice McFadden just celebrated Sugar’s 10 anniversary. I am patiently awaiting Glorious to be released on May 1, 2010 PRE ORDER NOW

Glorious is set against the backdrops of the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights era. Blending fact and fiction, Glorious is the story of Easter Venetta Bartlett, a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and ultimately revival offers a candid and true portrait of the American experience in all its beauty and cruelty.

It is a novel informed by the question that is the title of Langston Hughes's famous poem: What happens to a dream deferred? Based on years of research, this heart-wrenching fictional account is given added resonance by factual events coupled with real and imagined larger-
than-life characters. Glorious is an audacious exploration into the nature of self-hatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption.

"Intense and sweeping." --Susan Straight, author of A Million Nightingales

"A wonderful, rich read full of passion, history, wonder, and women you will recognize: Glorious is just that."
--Jill Nelson, author of Volunteer Slavery and Let's Get It On

"Bernice McFadden's fully realized characters are complicated, imperfect beings, but if ever a character were worthy of love and honor, it is her Easter Bartlett. This very American story is fascinating; it is also heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and beautifully written."
--Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of The Scenic Route


Hollywood Deception by Shelia M Goss

Two friends, one woman, and one deranged fan.

Former supermodel and talk show host Hailey Barnes has a knack for catching her guests off
guard with difficult and personal questions. Her tough interviews have earned her a Daytime
Emmy, but while her professional life is at its peak, she’s not satisfied with her personal
life.

Hailey wants what she can’t have, and that’s her ex-college sweetheart’s hand in
marriage. Her on again/off again relationship with Trevon keeps her name in the tabloids,
and that works for her, until she receives a wedding invitation in the mail—inviting her to
Trevon’s wedding to another woman. He’s ready to settle down, just not with Hailey.

Besides dealing with a broken heart, the ex-supermodel is dealing with a deranged fan who
has resorted to sending her disturbing mail at her Hollywood studio and her home. Hailey
decides to use the opportunity as a quest to convince Trevon she should be his bride.

Trevon and childhood friend Garrett Morgan are co-owners of GT Securities, a security firm
that caters to celebrities. Hailey’s plan backfires when Garrett heads her case instead of
Trevon. When ex-playboy Garrett starts developing feelings for Hailey, Hailey’s life becomes
even more complicated. As Garrett investigates, all evidence points to the person Hailey
least suspects.

With fans like this, who needs enemies? Shelia M. Goss is back with this hot sequel to
Double Platinum.



Lessons From A Younger Lover by Zuri Day

First grade teacher Gwen Smith was happily married—until her husband got himself a twenty-something mistress and filed for divorce. Now just months away from turning forty-one, Gwen is back in her tiny California hometown, caring for her ailing mother, convinced her life is over. Then she meets Ransom Blake.

Ransom is a twenty-six-year-old hunk who pushes every one of Gwen’s buttons. Gwen has no intention of getting involved with a younger man, but he won’t take no for an answer. When he shows up at her classroom unannounced, Gwen tells him off—and then realizes he’s come for his daughter. Ransom isn’t shy about letting Gwen know how she can make it up to him. And if he gets his way, Gwen will lose all her inhibitions—and her heart...


Reverened Feelgood by Lutishia Lovely

In Lutishia Lovely's wickedly sexy new novel, an energetic young pastor works overtime to keep the ladies in his congregation deliciously satisfied. . .
Nathaniel "Nate" Thicke is a preaching prodigy. At only twenty-eight years old, he's the senior pastor of The Gospel Truth Church. In addition to carrying on the preaching tradition begun by his great-grandfather, Nate is also just plain carrying on, wherever the spirit--and the flesh--lead him. And when it leads him to three women from the same family, bickering and backstabbing follow...
Content with having his pick of the flock, Nate is surprised to discover he's fallen head-over-heels in love, and decides to become a one-woman man. But the other ladies aren't about to give him up so easily. They're prepared to do whatever it takes to get their man back--even if it means adding a few more shocking sins to their list...

Fifteen Years by Kendra Norman- Bellamy

Fifteen Years

Kendra again writes a wonderful story about the grace of God. 15 years after being away from his foster parents, Josiah returns to discover the secrets that have haunted him throughout his life, and finally finds all that he had been searching for.
4****
About the Book
Josiah Tucker, the son of a substance dependent and neglectful mother, spent most of his childhood years in the custody of the State, living in foster homes throughout Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of fourteen, he was taken from the foster family that he had grown to love, the Smiths, and returned to his negligent birth mother. Enduring the hardships faced while living with his birth mother JT manages to makes something of his life. However, fifteen years after being taken from the Smiths and at the peak of success, he finds himself feeling empty and at his lowest. When he decides to reconnect with the Smiths, JT finds his faith in God renewed and discovers his attraction to his foster sister.

Fifteenth book and the title is Fifteen Years

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KENDRA NORMAN-BELLAMY is a national best-selling author and the founder of KNB Publications LLC. She is the organizer of Visions in Print, an Atlanta-based national organization for faith-based writers, and The Writer’s Hut, an online fellowship for African American Writers. She is the founder of Cruisin’ For Christ, a groundbreaking at-sea ministry that celebrates writing, gospel music and other God-glorifying arts, and also serves as a motivational speaker.
A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kendra currently resides in Stone Mountain, George with her family. For more information, visit www.knb-publications.com.

View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/FifteenYearsBlogTour.

Rhonda McKnight featured me today

Urban Christian Fiction Today:
Simply Said Reading Accessories

The Appetizer

Striving to establish a new flair to the term contemporary fiction, Ni’cola Mitchell entered the literary scene with one main objective: To Stimulate Your Mind, One Word at a Time. Through her independent publishing company NCM Publishing; Ni’cola published her debut novel entitled OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Much of her work revolves around situations that are a compulsive desire to see women over come challenges. Her next novel THE APPETIZER, when you’re not his main course will be released February 2010.

Biography:

Ni'cola Mitchell is originally from Kingston, Jamaica. Currently she resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada with her two daughters, Destani and Diamond. She holds a Bachelors degree of Science in Business Management and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration in HealthCare Management.


Ni’cola is also a motivational speaker and consultant.
Due to the fact that she is an outstanding representative of Las Vegas’ African-American community, she was selected to be featured in the second edition of Who’s Who in Black Las Vegas. Her novel Over and Over Again was also featured in the top ten by EDC Creations Recommended Reading List for the 2009 fall season under Mainstream Fiction and Women’s Fiction. She is also a member of the national touring group the Literary Sistah’s. When Ni'cola isn't writing, she loves to spend time with her family and volunteer as a mentor for youth activities.

Synopsis:

Three girlfriends with totally different lives; or so they think.

Yazmin

Yazmin and Trey have been together for five years. Yazmin enjoys her life as a stay at home wifey. The couple is also expecting twins. Their life could not have been any more picture perfect, until the day Yazmin was involved in a hit and run accident. Scared for the life of her babies, Yazmin almost goes into shock after she attempts to call Trey, only to be greeted by his wife of the past ten years.

Monae

Monae and Malik have had a drama free long distance relationship for the last two years. Malik is a Marine, and is stationed in San Diego. They both have an understanding that once Monae graduates from UCLA, they will have their dream wedding. While planning an intimate surprise party for two in his apartment, Monae discovers that she is not the only one waiting for “her” man to come home.

Nia

Devaugn is in a relationship, but Nia simply doesn’t care. He is the ideal man, and Nia is convinced that if she works hard enough, she can show him that she is all the woman he needs. Stephanie will be a thing of the past and Devaugn can start taking care of Nia and her three children full time. Or will he?

These three friends all have one thing in common; they are their man’s chick on the side. What happens when a woman finds out she is not her man’s main course? But only his appetizer.



Interviews:

1. Are your characters from the portrayal of real people? What inspired you to write this story?
All my characters are fictional, but I did take situations, mannerisms, and characteristics from real life people to create them.

2. What are THREE adjectives that best describe OVER AND OVER AGAIN?
Emotional, suspenseful, hilarious


3. What are THREE adjectives that best describe YOU?

Intelligent, beautiful, hard worker


4. What issues in today's society have you addressed in the book?

I addressed many issues in this book such as infidelity, deceit, low moral and self worth, sex, lies, relationships, friendship, betrayal, and single mothers.


5. NI'COLA: THE SOUNDTRACK. What are three tracks that would HAVE to make it onto the soundtrack of your life and why?

The first song would be Beauty, by Dru Hill. I believe Beauty comes from the inside. I will do anything for anyone. I go the extra mile at all times. One thing that I am complimented on is how well I treat others. I believe those attributes is what makes a person beautiful.

The second would be No More Rain (In this cloud) by Angie Stone. Just like anyone else in life, I have been through a plethora of trials and tribulations. I had to decide that I was going to be stop letting life harbor me, and press forward. So I consider the cloud me and my life, and I had to learn to stop crying and start living up to the potential that I know that I have. I’m only half way there though. The storm tends to come, but I do not allow for the rain to develop.

The last song would be Queen of the pack by Patra. Being from Jamaica, I know all about struggle. But I had to let people know that I am not accepting anything. The song compares life to a pack of cards. It basically states that I am telling you what I am about, and I am not going back on my word. What ever life brings, I will come out on top, and be the Queen of the pack. I make my own destiny, so you better watch out.

6. What is your most valuable lesson about the publishing industry?
That if you stay grounded, focused, and believe in your self, you can put out a successful book that can hold its own among other works in your genre.


7. You're strutting down the street - not a care in the world, looking like a million bucks; what is your theme song and why?


My theme song would be Everyday I’m hustling by Rick Ross. The title speaks for itself



Over and Over Again Book Trailer:


http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=84ddb55c4d52f5fad3db67&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email


Appetizer Book Trailer:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPMPi4_bh7Y&feature=youtube_gdata


www.nicolacmitchell.com

www.ncmpublishing.com

www.facebook.com/msnicola

www.myspace.com/nicolacmitchell.com

www.twitter.com/msnicola

www.literarysistahs.com

www.nicola.ning.com

The Food Temptress

In the fiction novel, "The Food Temptress," Ambrosia uses food to seduce men and it converts them into the perfect mate. Here is a recipe for you to try, just in time for Valetine's Day. It's spicy and hot. Enjoy!

*The Food Temptress Chili

Ingredients
1 Ib. Ground Meat
1 Medium Green Bell Pepper (Diced)
1/2 Medium Onion (Diced)
1 tsp. of Ready-to-use Minced Garlic
1 Can (14.5 oz.) Diced Tomatoes (Undrained)
1 Can (15.5 oz.) Pinto Beans (Undrained)
1 Can (15.oz.) Dark Red Kidney Beans (Undrained)
1 Packet Mild Chili Seasoning or 4 tbsp. Chili Powder
Salt & Pepper (For taste)
Sour Cream (Optional)
Shredded Cheese (Optional)
Chopped Green Onions (Optional)

Directions
Cook ground meat in a large stock pot over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook meat until brown. Drain excess fat. Put beans, tomatoes, and seasoning into the pot, and stir. Cook until boiling, then simmer while your cornbread cooks. Spoon the chili into your favorite bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and onions. Use a dollop of sour cream for the finishing touch.

*Not responsible for what happens after eating.




The Food Temptress 2010 Winter Virtual Book Tour Stop - About the Author: Rekaya Gibson’s love for food is evident throughout her fiction work, “The Food Temptress,” and her children’s book, “Are There French Fries in Heaven?” Some of her nonfiction articles have appeared in the Cabo Living Magazine, Desert Saints Magazine, and Lake of the Ozarks Second Home Living Magazine. In 2006, she self-published an e-Book, “Wow Them With Your Grant Proposal” under her own e-publishing company, Gibson Girl Publishing Company. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of New Orleans. Rekaya resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can reach her at www.foodtemptress.com. Find "The Food Temptress" on Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and request at bookstores nationwide.




Rekaya Gibson, Author
The Food Enchantress, Coming April 2010
The Food Temptress, Now Available...
on Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and at Bookstores

ISBN-10: 0-977-9398-3-9 / ISBN-13: 978-0-9779398-3-1

Whats eating you?

What’s Eating You?
See details below on how you can participate in the Healthy Heart Blog Tour with Rhonda McKnight.
10% of donation during this blog tour will go to the American Heart Association (AHA).
I had a conversation with a younger cousin last month. She’s a beautiful twenty year old young woman. We talked about her weight. She’s morbidly obese and very depressed about it. Her mother has been giving her diets and exercise tips for the last ten years, but none of them have worked. I finally intervened and explained to her mother and her that diet tips and exercise weren’t the solution to this young woman’s problem. It’s emotional eating and as someone standing on the sidelines looking into their situation, I can confidently say it began when her parents’ marriage fell apart at the age of seven.
According to the American Heart Association, obesity (defined as higher than 30 on the Body Mass Index) is an epidemic and is threatening to overtake tobacco as the number one cause of preventable death. More than 300,000 adults will die in the United States this year due to obesity-related illnesses. Heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Despite the billions spent on diet and health products, Americans are more overweight than ever. So the problem is epidemic. And the solutions of diet and exercise are not the singular remedy. Like my cousin, like myself, and many others the root cause has to be addressed to really get a handle on the problem. It’s not just a love of food, or a lack of discipline. We like to blame it on those things because we often don’t like to talk about the real reasons we overeat. Usually they’re intensely personal. Here are a few:
• We need comfort when we’re stressed, tired or overworked. We know this, because we call the foods we reach for comfort foods.
• We need to anesthetize pain from abuse: current or past.
• Boredom. Our lives are unfulfilled.
The character Jonah Morgan is not overeating, but he is using another unhealthy coping mechanism. Alcohol; and lots of it. Same wrong solution as my cousin, different poison. Like my cousin, Jonah has childhood pain that tearing him apart, so much so that he has completely checked out emotional, and physically on his family.

Do you know someone hurting like my young cousin? Do you eat or drink to deal with pain or stress? Share your thoughts on the subject. How do you convince someone who’s already depressed to do things differently?

About the Author

Rhonda McKnight is the owner of Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today, a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s the vice-president of Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. When she’s not editing projects, teaching workshops about writing or penning her next novel, she spends time with her family. Originally from a small, coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for twelve years.
For more information, visit http://www.RhondaMcKnight.net.strong>
About the Book

Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it’s truly in God’s will for them to stay married.
Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?
Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/HealthyHeartBlogTour

Enter to Win 3 Great Giveaways!
GRAND PRIZE (one winner possible)
A “Start” Fitness Pack she purchased from the American Heart Association’s Online store. The online store helps in the fight against heart disease by promoting heart-healthy lifestyles that include physical activities like walking. Net proceeds from the sale of these items support the Start! movement.
The Fitness Kit includes: Start BackPack, Start Water Bottle, Start Shoe Wallet, and the Power to End Stroke 46 Recipe Healthy Soul Food Cook Book.

SECOND PLACE PRIZE (one winner possible)
Autographed hardcover copy of Secrets and Lies will be given away to the 2nd person whose name is pulled in the drawing.

THIRD PLACE PRIZE (one winner possible)
In honor of Rhonda's birthday on Feb. 6th - a $10 Barnes and Nobles, Borders or Starbucks Gift Card will be given to the 3rd person whose name is pulled in the drawing. (winner chooses).

HOW TO ENTER THE DRAWING:
All entrants with 10 POINTS AND UP will be entered in a drawing to win the GRAND PRIZE - FITNESS PACK.
All entrants with 5 POINTS AND UP will be entered in a drawing to win PRIZES TWO AND THREE.
HOW TO EARN POINTS:
+15 Point ENTRIES: Purchase a copy of Secrets and Lies from the online store during the tour through www.urbanchristianbooks.com.

+1 point ENTRY: join the discussion by commenting on one of the blog tour sites each day (must comment on the day of the toursite by 9 pm). Comment must include your thoughts on the subject. (can not just say – great point or I agree).

+1 point ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING INTERESTING YOU FIND WHEN YOU GO TO Rhonda’s WEBSITE or blog. LOOK AROUND AS THERE IS LOTS TO SEE. HERE are THE LINKs www.rhondamcknight.net and www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com
+1 point ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY. On Twitter Retweet @rhondamcknight or use the hashtagS #Health or #hearthealth
+2 point ENTRIES: Join RHONDA’S FACEBOOK READER Page or SIGN UP FOR HER NEWSLETTER on her webpage.
THE RULES:
• U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
• EMAIL ADDRESS MUST BE INCLUDED IN COMMENT
• ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY.
• MAXIMUM OF 3 POINTS CAN BE EARNED ON ANY ONE TOUR DAY.
• TOUR HOST BLOGGERS CAN NOT ENTER TO WIN.
DRAWING WILL BE HELD AT 9 PM EST on FEBRUARY 7th
GOOD LUCK!

Beautiful Ugly

To Ugly
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly.
To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. His tail had long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one ugly cat!"
All the children were warned not to touch him. The adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, and squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was lying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly, I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering, and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye toward me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.
Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection; perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me, completely trusting in me to relieve his pain. Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterward, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful.
He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for. All of us would want to be richer, more successful, well liked, or beautiful. But for me, I will always try to be
"Ugly".…Author Unknown

To My God be the Glory, Honor and Praise,
Shelia E. Lipsey

My Book Review
This acknowledgement was “To Ugly” and it just made me weep. How many times have YOU seen something or someone so ugly, it made you cringe? Did it ever occur to you that they need love too? This was the perfect siegway to a great story about how people see themselves and live in such a ugly life because of demons that haunt them. And most of it’s in their mind. The three ladies in this wonderful and truly heart felt story are beautiful, but they all are harboring silent uglies that only they see. Shelia tell each one's story, beautifully. Forgiving your ugllies is such a haunting task, but a doable one.
4****

Win an autographed copy of
Beautiful Ugly by Shelia Lipsey
See contest details below.
About Beautiful Ugly
Three friends with different struggles rely on God and each other to get by. Layla Hobbs has so much to offer, including a beautiful singing voice, but obesity and low self-esteem hold her back from life and finding true love. Envy Wilson has always been Layla’s backbone. But what about her own dark secrets? She won’t share them with anyone, and it’s starting to eat away at her from the inside. And then there’s Kacie Mayweather. Stricken with cerebral palsy, she’s had her share of men—five baby daddies for six children, in fact. But she’s never had one man to call her own. They’ll need plenty of faith and support from each other to see the real beauty that lies within each one of them and fulfill their deepest desires at last.

Win an autographed copy of
Beautiful Ugly by Shelia Lipsey
Shelia Lipsey is the author of three other Christian Fiction novels. The trivia question below is from one of those novels. Leave your response to the trivia question below in the comment section.
What was the name of the church that the Graham family attended? Tell us the title of the book.



About the Author
Author Shelia E. Lipsey is a multi-award winning author. Her novels are available at most bookstores nationwide as well as online. Lipsey’s books have been called gripping, life-altering, memorable and realistic. Lipsey was recently awarded the 2009 Top Shelf Award for Beautiful Ugly by Black Pearls Magazine. She also won 2009 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Awards for My Son’s Wife in the following categories: Author of the Year, Christian fiction Book of the Year, Christian Romance of the Year, Best Book Cover of the Year, Best Fiction Book of the Year, among several other awards for her novels, Into Each Life and Sinsatiable.
Lipsey is the proud mother of two sons and the grandmother of three blessed young men. She is president of UCHisGloryBookClub.net, founder of Living Your Dreams Now a non-profit organization and MAAW (Memphis African American Writers).
Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/BeautifulUgly

For more information, visit www.shelialipsey.com.
Listen to the excerpt

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Watch the Book Trailer

How Would You Define Victorious Living?

How Would You Define Victorious Living?


Cheryl Lacey Donavan says “Victorious Living refers to the state of our inward attitude, the disposition of our heart. Victory is that inner peace of God which surpasses all understanding It's the joy of the Lord which is our strength. It's the assurance that God is in control, and the knowledge that all things and circumstances are somehow working together for our good.

God wants all his children to live a victorious life. But this is only possible through the walk of faith. Faith is what makes us overcomers against the odds. A victorious life of faith no longer lives by feelings, emotions or circumstances. As believers, we live according to what the Word of God says, not by what the circumstances say. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). This walk of faith is what brings true victory.”


About the Book
Victorious Living for Women is filled with the inspiration, wisdom and pathways to victory of 42 incredible women who share stories of their life experiences, from their heart to yours. They have endured personal pain and have come through empowered, encouraged and victorious.

As they take you on their personal journeys you will find inspiration, encouragement and blueprints for victory embedded in each chapter. You will discover principles for transforming your life. You can learn how to overcome fear, find you purpose, define your destiny, recover from divorce, heal your heart, physical healing, dealing with the loss of loved ones and so much more.

This stellar assembly of women with inspiring true-life stories will captivate you throughout each page as you read how their lives were transformed from anger to joy, disappointment to destiny and trial to victory. Their candor, wisdom and inspiration can help you to pursue your path of becoming a victorious woman.
Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at http://bit.ly/VictoriousLivingForWomenTour.

Now It’s Your Turn
How Would You Define Victorious Living?
We look forward to your response in the comment section below.

Color Me Jazzmyne

Color Me Jazzmyne

Synopsis:
"Child abuse, rape and struggling to live are all things that women go through at least once in their lifetime. In this tale, Naya Mona takes readers on a journey through her crayon box of life. She shows us what her true colors are as she recounts her past to a son she is meeting for the first time. How do you tell your son that your father is his?

The Spiral of events that fill Naya's life provides an intimate look at the drama, romance and struggles that become her voice. On stage, she must become Jazzmyne-the Jazz singer. Naya no doubt commands your attention and takes you on a rollercoaster ride that is filled with the melodious tones that makes Color Me Jazzmyne a true reading pleasure."

Book Excerpt:
"My past however, is something quite different. It still haunts me, slaps me in the face and dares me to face the reality of today. Every day, it seems, I am forced to remember what color is Jazzmyne. Once upon a time the color of snow ran through me. It ran so deep that it blended with my insides, messed with my emotions and played with the deepest corners of my heart.

How can life do that to a woman? As I look into the mirror, I can quickly see the colors that answer that question.
Upon the walls of my office are newspapers encased in gold frames. I

glance at the writings, the ink still trying to hold on to the paper. So many years have passed. They all told a story. Each one represented a version of some reporter's dream. Some wrote that I become everything from simply nothing. Others wrote that my voice awakens them and breathes life into the deepest corner of their being. I wish it did the same for me. I could use an awakening."


Author
Marian L. Thomas is a native of Chicago with a passion for the words that reflect the issues that face women today. However, the concept of putting her thoughts into written form wasn’t realized until her second year in high school when she wrestled with the thought of writing a book she then called What Color is Jazzmyne.

In fact, twenty years would pass before she finally debuted a more refined version of her original concept, calling it Color Me Jazzmyne. It was just a few years prior to this that she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communication, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Marian now resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband and their spoiled but playful dog. She enjoys writing short stories that have full impact and is currently working on her second novel.

Links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MLT.ColorMeJazzmyne?ref=profile

Author Website: http://www.marianlthomas.com

Author Blog: http://findingmycolorwithmlt.blogspot.com

Book Trailer: http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=9575e0bebe84add8fd2af3&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Purchase Links:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Color-Me-Jazzmyne-Marian-Thomas/dp/0615270670/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238269178&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble.com: http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=Color+Me+Jazzmyne

Sample Links:

Read Chapters 1-3

http://www.freado.com/book/4169/Color-Me-Jazzmyne



Listen to Chapter 1:

http://www.hudsonaudiopublishing/featured.html



Email: info@marianlthomas.com


7 Questions with 7 Complete Answers From Marian L. Thomas:

What are some of the issues in society that your book addresses?
Rape, incent, child abuse, teen pregnancy are just some of the issues that affect our society today that Color Me Jazzmyne addresses. The story shows the emotional scars from not being able to speak to someone about your situation as a child to the feelings that no one will believe you when you do. These are scars that can remain under the surface for many years, sometimes forever.

What does the crayon box represent in the story?
We all have many colors. Colors that go beyond race but reach down into our emotions, attitudes and even the way people try to color us. The attempt to make us what they want us to me. This is how it is for Naya. It is not just the color of your skin that she must face but the colors that make her who she is and will become.

What impact do you want your book to make on readers?
"I hope that women who read this book and have lived the life of Naya Mona in some form or fashion will find the voice, strength and motivation to push past the pain and live."

What goal do you have in regards to writing?
For me, writing is more of a release from the reflection of the world around us. It is a way to express the obvious using tones that soothe, excite, uplift and allow the reader to step out of their comfort level. That is my goal when writing. That is what drives me to create characters such as Naya Mona.

Are your characters a portrayal of real people?
Reality is always a part of us and as such what we read must adhere to some form of it. Without reality one can’t relate to the story that is being told. Naya is clearly a reflection of the many women that I have met over the years and the struggles that they have gone through. I do not remove myself from that reflection.



Who is your favorite character?
Misty. She represents all the so-called friends that revolve in and out of our lives and then I would have to say Chris, because he is what I term the 'life-time' type of husband. He represents the compassion and love that we as women need, want and deserve.


What else can you tell us about Naya Mona?
Naya Mona is the type of woman that all women can see a reflection of themselves in. She has dreams, struggles, obstacles and a passion to live! In the beginning she is naïve, abused and looking in all the wrong directions for comfort. She quickly realizes that a beautiful pair of black leather shoes does not reflect the essence of a good man.



The drama in her life unveils as her son whom she hasn’t seen since birth walks through the doorways of her beautiful and lavish home thinking that she is the reason that the puzzle of his life doesn’t fit. Filled with rage, anger and sadness he forces her to go back into her past, back to the time when her father’s touch was no longer innocent.