ADVANCED AUTHOR PANEL

Angela Benson’s numerous novels include the Christy Award-nominated Awakening Mercy, the Essence-bestselling The Amen Sisters, and Up Pops The Devil. She's also the author of nonfiction writing book, Telling the Tale: The African-American Fiction Writer's Guide. Currently an associate professor at the University of Alabama, she lives in Tuscaloosa.



Sins of the Father

Successful media mogul Abraham Martin has great wealth, an elegant wife, Saralyn, and a rebellious son, Isaac. He also has a secret: a second family that no one knows about. Now, after thirty years—driven by the urging of his long dormant conscience—Abraham is determined to do the right thing by finally bringing his illegitimate children into the light…and into the family fold.

Sins of the Father is a powerful story of a house bitterly divided—a rich, multilayered family saga of betrayal and redemption, rage and compassion, faith, forgiveness, and ultimately, of love.

http://www.angelabenson.com/


Mrs. Rose Jackson-Beavers is an advocate for teenagers as well as a motivational speaker, trainer, and the owner of Prioritybooks Publications. Prioritybooks is a publishing company that helps first time authors achieve their dreams of becoming published. She has written six books through her publishing company. She is also a free-lance writer.

Some of her many accomplishments include sponsoring the first Drug-Free after Prom Dance in East St. Louis, Illinois; more than 100 high school couples attended. She coordinated the first Fresh Air Fund in the Metro-East area for pre-teens with the East St. Louis Chambers of Commerce. The Fresh Air Fund is an independent not-for-profit agency originating in New York City which provides free summer vacations to children.

Mrs. Beavers received her Bachelors degree from Illinois State University and Masters degree from Southern Illinois University. She spends time working in her church and volunteering at local organizations throughout her community.

She resides in Florissant, Missouri with her family.


Caught in the Net of Deception

Rose Jackson-Beavers and Edward Booker, authors of A Hole in My Heart, introduces us to Shawn, Mike, Alexis, Demetra, Kelly, and Karen in three powerful stories about teenagers facing danger from meeting strangers on the Internet. As these teens surf the net looking for love, fun, and opportunities to make money, they will face danger. Most teens have Facebook, Myspace, and actively surf the Internet, but if not careful they could be sucked into a world of danger.

http://www.prioirybooks.com/

http://www.prioritybooks.blogspot.com/

Lyn Cote's journey to becoming a published author was a long one - she started her first book when her daughter was 13 months old and her first novel was published when her daughter was about to enter high school. But Lyn was writing for a market that hadn't taken shape yet - the inspirational fiction market.

In 1996, Lyn Cote's first inspirational historical manuscript was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Contest. This became her first historical novel, Whispers Of Love, in her BLESSED ASSURANCE series.

Most recently, Chloe, the first novel in Lyn's "Women of Ivy Manor" historical series was a 2006 RWA Rita Award finalist for Best Inspirational, as well as a finalist for the Holt Medallion and the National REaders Choice Contest.

Lyn also writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She lives in the lovely northwoods of Wisconsin with her husband and three cats. Aside from writing, she also likes to knit, crochet, read, and do lunch with friends.

Shelia M. Goss is the Essence Magazine Best-Selling author of My Invisible Husband, Roses are thorns, Violets are true, Paige’s Web, and Double Platinum. His Invisible Wife is her fifth women's fiction novel. She also has her first young adult book in stores - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 1: The Ultimate Test. For more information, visit her website http://www.sheliagoss.com/ or http://www.thelipglosschronicles.com/.


His Invisible Wife

With money on their minds, Jake and Brianna agree to get married. It's purely a business arrangement, but as lies, deceit, intrigue, and betrayal begin to plague the newlyweds, can Jake and Brianna get through the drama and learn to truly love each other?

Tia Hines is an author from Boston, MA who is making her mark in the literary world. She is a full time training specialist by day and a writer by night. When not writing, she dedicates her time to mentoring and teaching them hip-hop dance to youth. She graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has a Master’s degree from Suffolk University in Criminal Justice. Tia discovered her passion for writing at a very young age. She figured she could create unimaginable stories through an explosion of words. With this in mind, she wrote her first novel, “Drama”, which successfully debuted #9 on Essence Magazine’s April Bestsellers List. She has now written her second novel entitled, “Poison: A Desire to Burn”. Her main goal is to get more youth to read and she plans to accomplish this by writing a series of intriguing novels. Tia wants to inspire everyone to have dreams. “Set goals and create dreams and never stop striving to achieve new heights.”

Poison: A Desire to Burn

She’s hurt, misunderstood and on a path of self-destruct. Having to live with the pain of being abused, abandoned and neglected, Desire Jones is mad with the world. To make things worse, she gets involved with Malik, who leaves her pregnant at age thirteen and infected with HIV. What would you do if you were thirteen years old and HIV positive?

Does she take her own life to escape depression or does she do the unspeakable: purposely infect people with her near-death disease?

http://www.tiahines.com/

Author Paula Chase has written for Girls’ Life, Sweet 16, and Baltimore Magazine among others. Her Del Rio Bay series launched Kensington Books YA line in 2007. It paved the way for the growing number of popular fiction YA books targeted to multi-culti suburbanite teens. The five part series includes the '07 debut, So Not The Drama. Chase calls her brand of teen literature, Hip lit, a nod to the diversity spawned by the MTV-watching, 106th & Park-ing, pop culture hungry hip hop generation. Not happy with the lack of awareness African American authors writing for children were receiving among gatekeepers, Chase started The Brown Bookshelf with four other children’s authors in October 2007. The group’s flagship initiative, 28 Days Later, spotlights both under-the-radar authors and pioneers in children’s lit. The author lives outside of Annapolis , MD with her husband and two daughters.

Flipping The Script

Now that Mina’s boyfriend Brian is off to Duke University , life in Del Rio Bay is lonely. As his basketball season heats up and the phone calls get fewer, Mina’s insecurity increases—and so does Brian’s impatience with it. But he’s not the only guy in the clique dealing with craziness. Michael’s passion for fashion has led to a chance to attend a special creative arts program in D.C. He knows he should jump on it, but leaving home is harder than he thought. He turns to his dancer friend Rob for support, but Rob’s presence around the clique triggers star athlete JZ’s feelings of homophobia. As JZ’s discomfort simmers, his feelings get the best of him when he finds himself seriously attracted to Jacinta—and discovers she’s on a different page.

With relationships in the balance and friendships at risk, Flipping the Script, the fifth book in the Del Rio Bay series, challenges the guys to step up when the stakes are high.

http://paulachasehyman.com/

Varian Johnson is the author of Saving Maddie (Delacorte / Random House, 2010), My Life as a Rhombus (Flux / Llewellyn, 2008) and A Red Polka Dot in a World Full of Plaid (Genesis Press, 2005). He was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. Varian later attended the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where he received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Varian now lives in Austin, TX with his wife, Crystal, and is a member of SCBWI, the Writers’ League of Texas, and The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN). Varian is also the co-founder of The Brown Bookshelf, an online community charged with highlighting established and up-and-coming African-American authors of children’s and young adult literature.


Saving Maddie

Joshua Wynn is a preacher’s son and a “good boy” who always does the right thing—until Maddie Smith comes back to town. Maddie is the daughter of the former associate pastor of Joshua’s church, and his childhood crush. Now Maddie is all grown up, gorgeous—and troubled. She wears provocative clothes to church, curses, drinks, and fools around with older men. Joshua’s ears burn just listening to the things she did to get kicked out of boarding school, and her own home.
As time goes on, Joshua goes against his parents and his own better instincts to keep Maddie from completely capsizing. Along the way, he begins to question his own rigid understanding of God and whether, as his mother says, a girl like Maddie is beyond redemption. Maddie leads Joshua further astray than any girl ever has . . . but is there a way to reconcile his love for her and his love for his life in the church?

http://www.varianjohnson.com/

National best-selling author, Celeste O. Norfleet, was a late bloomer to romance. But as soon as she picked up her first romance novel, she was hooked. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Celeste is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design. An art director and graphic designer for many years, Celeste now devotes all of her time to writing and creating romance letting her artistic imagination flow through the computer keys. Her romance novels, realistic with a touch of humor, depict strong sexy characters with unpredictable plots and exciting storylines. Her young adult novels delve into dramatic fiction, reflecting current issues facing African-American teens. Celeste currently writes for Harlequin’s Kimani Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Kimani Press TRU (young adult) lines. Celeste lives in Virginia with her husband and two teenagers.

For more information see her website at http://www.celesteonorfleet.com/ or contact her at conorfleet@aol.com or P.O. Box 7346, Woodbridge, VA 22195-7346

Sultry Storm

Mia James will do anything to save her family home—even drive into the eye of a hurricane. But from the moment she comes to the rescue of a rain-soaked stranger, another kind of storm rages.

Stephen Morales thinks he's dreaming when he sees the sultry beauty tending to his wounds by candlelight. And he wants more than shelter from the storm. Soon the sexy deputy sheriff is tempting Mia to throw caution to the gale-force winds and give in to a night of passion neither will forget.

But a new tempest is gathering, swirling around a tumultuous family secret that threatens their future. With the Florida Keys erupting, Mia and Stephen can play it safe—or risk everything for a love that's sweeping them beyond danger, beyond deception…beyond anything they've ever known.

http://www.celesteonorlfeet.com/


Michelle Sutton is a member of ACFW, Editor-in-chief for Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Sheaf House Marketing Director, edgy fiction writer, book reviewer, avid blogger/alliance member, CWOW blog mistress, mother of two teenagers, wife, pet owner, social worker by trade, and follower of Jesus Christ.


It's Not about Him

Susie passed out while drinking at Jeff's party and later discovered she's pregnant. She has no idea who the father is and considers having an abortion, but instead decides to place her baby for adoption. Following through ends up being more wrenching than she imagined, but she's determined to do the right thing for her baby.

Jeff feels guilty that Susie was taken advantage of at his party and offers to marry her so she won't have to give up her baby, like his birth mother did with him. But Susie refuses, insisting he should he marry someone he loves. Can he convince her that his love is genuine before it's too late? Can she make him understand that it's not about him-it's about what's best for her child?