ONLINE CONFERENCE - This Week

My girl Tee is hosting an online conference this month.

Please stop by and check it out. Best part its FREE


RAWSISTAZ Literary Group presents

their 7th Annual Readers & Writers Conference
The RAW Affair 2008 ONLINE
December 8-13, 2008

http://www.rawsistaz-affair.com/

Agenda

MONDAY
Event Overview
Meet & Greet

TUESDAY
Book Discussion - What Readers Want
Panel - Self-Publishing vs Mainstream vs POD Renee Flagler, Shelia Goss, Earl Sewell, Tina McKinney, Nakea Murray
Panel - On Writing: From Romance to Christian Fiction to Non-Fiction Michelle Larks, Gwyneth Bolton, Bettye Griffin, Marilyn Griffith, LaConnie Taylor-Jones
Workshop - Creating a Publishing Business Barbara Joe Williams
Workshop - The Road to Getting Published Gwynne Forster
Spotlight - Authors Ana’Gia Wright, Pynk, Trice Hickman, Terra Little, Dyanne Davis

WEDNESDAY
Book Discussion - A Different Kind of Blues by Gwynne Forster
Panel - Books, Book Clubs & Book Reviews aNN Brown/RAWSISTAZ, Renee Williams/All the Buzz, Dee Dee Dalton/Sexy Ebony BBWS, J’me Adams/Passion for Reading, Eraina Tinnin/Piedmont Triad RAWSISTAZ
Panel - Guiding Young Readers Through the Literary Jungle Paula Chase, Varian Johnson, Kelly Starling-Lyons, Carla Sarratt and Don Tate
Panel - Depicting the Black Family in Literature Angela Winters, Swaggie Coleman, Evelyn Palfrey, Carleen Brice, Toschia
Workshop - Focus on the Story Dwight Fryer
Workshop - Blogging for Fun Sheila Goss
Workshop - Fast Books Victor McGlothin
Spotlight - Poetry & Non-Fiction RJ Poet, a. Kai, Ms. T, Vanessa Johnson

THURSDAY
Book Discussion Unexpected Interruptions by Trice Hickman
Panel - On Writing: Why We Write What We Write Allison Hobbs, Rodney Hurst, Rose Beavers, Nikki Rashan, Angeline Bandon-Bibum
Panel - Book Promotion & Publicity Dana Pittman/Nia Promotions, Lissa Woodson/Macro Marketing & Promotions Group , Nakea Murray/Literary Consultants Group
Workshop - Mistakes First Time Authors Make Barbara Joe Williams
Workshop - Structuring Your Novel Dr. Fredrick Williams
Workshop - How to Be Your Own Publicist Ella D. Curry
Spotlight - Authors Robert Greer, Byron Harmon, Nicole Bailey-Williams, T.L. James, M. LaVora Perry

FRIDAY
Book Discussion - Our Favorite Books of All Time
Panel - Industry Insider Roundtable Candace K - Web Designer/CanDann.com, Melissa Forbes - Freelance Editor/Carbon Copy Editing, Doug Siebold - Publisher/Agate Publishing, Misherald Brown - Literary Agent/ML Brown & Associates, Chanel Smith/Web Design Presence
Workshop - What You Need to Know Before You Sign on the Dotted Line Pamela Samuels-Young
Workshop - The Inner Self/The Outer Self Dr. Ni
Spotlight - Literary Professionals Marlive Harris - TheGRITS.com Literary Services, Pam Perry - Ministry Marketing Solutions, Ella Curry-EDC Creations, Sylvia Hubbard - Motown Writers Network, LaShaunda Hoffman - SORMAG, 3 Chicks on Lit

SATURDAY
Workshop - So You Want to Write Renee Flagler
Author Spotlights - TBA
Event Wrap-Up

EXCERPT: My Father's House

My Father's House
Dijorn Moss

ISBN# 13: 978-1-60162-970-8
Genre: Christian Fiction
Copyright: 2007
Published date: October 2008
Where Can it be purchased: Borders, Barnes and Nobles, Walmart, Amazon, etc.
Website: http://www.dijornmoss.com/

What happens on Sunday is only a glimpse into the life of Pastor Timothy Wells and his congregation. Pastor Timothy Wells always had a heart for ministry, but he never thought that his passion would lead him to the Senior Pastor position at Gethsemane Community Church. The decision severs the church with a bitter Associate Pastor and his conniving wife deepening the divide. Seen through the eyes of a gospel artist, a drug dealer and other members of the congregation. My Father's House is Timothy's journey to become the leader that Gethsemane needs in its darkest hour.

CHAPTER TEN

Dennis arrived home from work with a desire for a warm shower and a home cooked meal.
“How was dinner?” Dennis asked his wife, Renee.
“It was fine, the kids ate and I put them to bed.” Renee crossed her arms. “I couldn‘t make the chicken because I didn‘t have enough seasoning.”
“How come you didn’t call me while I was out?” Dennis glanced at Renee. “I would’ve picked some up for you?”
“I did, but your phone was off.”
“That must’ve been when I was in a meeting,” Dennis sat on his cucumber green couch. His shoulders felt like he had just removed two 75-pound bags of sand. The balls of his feet were tender and the calices on his hands made it difficult for him to make a fist.
“I don’t know how many I ordered,” Renee ran her fingers through her hair.
Dennis put the bill on the coffee table. “Must be nice!” He glanced up at Renee wearing her usual baby blue t-shirt and gray sweats. Renee had purchased a certain skin product online that caused an allergic reaction on her face. Permanent brown spots stained some parts of her face. The product ruined her caramel skin, but at times her deep imprinted dimples made up for her defects. With the right make-up treatment, the spots were non-existent; only behind closed doors did she unveil her dark secret. Dennis thought that it was monstrous to hold such a horrific thing against Renee, but he could not help but to feel somewhat physically detached from his wife.
“Well, your dinner is in the microwave,” Renee said.
“All right, I‘ll get it in a second. ” Dennis looked up and Renee had her hand on her hip, a sign that she was irritated. “What?”
“Nothing!” Renee said as she folded her arms.
“Renee, I’m not in the mood. I’ve had a long day, so tell me what’s up?”
“Dana called today.”
Dennis knew that Dana’s phone call would push dinner back at least an hour. Dana and Renee both ran Sunday school and her departure fro Gethsemane had a profound affect on Renee temperament.
“What was she calling for?”
“She’s leaving Gethsemane.”
“That’s unfortunate,” was Dennis’ reply.
“A lot of people are leaving,” Renee added “It’s because of the preaching now.”
Dennis’s head started to throb at the mere mentioned of church. He leaned back on the couch and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “I know a lot of people are leaving! I found out the other day that the Mitchell’s are leaving too,” Dennis said.
“Pretty soon you’ll be able to hear a pin drop at Gethsemane. It’s a darn shame too.” Renee shook her head.
“Don’t say that!”
“What? It’s the truth!”


“You don’t know that. Let’s just wait to see what God is going to do. In the mean time, let’s go get something to eat.”
“Are you planning to not talk about this?” Renee asked
“There’s nothing to talk about. What’s done is done.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Nothing!”
“Nothing?” Renee unfolded her arms.
“There’s nothing I can do. Timothy taking over as head Pastor was a decision handed down from Ananias.” Dennis said.
Renee pulled her hair back behind her shoulders. She reached in her left pocket and pulled out a black scrungy. She slid the scrungy halfway on her left hand as she put her hair into a ponytail.
“And what does that say about your years of service?” Renee started in. “After all that you sacrificed for that church so that Ananias could give his life’s work over to a kid; An inexperience kid on top of that!”
“He’s a descent preacher,” Dennis said.
“Oh please, it takes more than that to be a Pastor. It takes leadership. What congregation is going to follow a Pastor that’s at least ten years younger than them?”
“He has potential,” Dennis shrugged.


“And you have experience. We all thought you were next in line. You’ve been with this ministry for eleven years. There is no one more qualified to take over this ministry than you.”
That fact alone ate away at Dennis on the inside. He put on a good show of humility, but inside he wanted nothing more than to be Pastor, and the boards announcement of Timothy as Pastor was a slap in his face. But what made it worse was that Timothy’s promotion came in part because of a large endorsement by Ananias.
“He has to do what the spirit of God is leading him to do, and if that means Timothy taking over as senior pastor, then that’s God’s will. He may not look like a pastor, but neither did David look like a King,” Dennis reasoned.
“He has to do what the spirit of God is leading him to do, and if that means Timothy taking over as senior pastor, then that’s God’s will. He may not look like a pastor, but neither did David look like a King,” Dennis reasoned.
“Don’t preach to me!” Renee walked over to the love seat and sat down. “Who knows what mindset Ananias was in when he made that decision, and since he’s been discharge from the hospital no one has seen him.”
“Why are you so upset about this?” Dennis asked.

“Why aren’t you upset?” Renee retorted.
“You complain enough as it is that I don’t spend enough time with you and the kids. You want to add being a pastor of a church on top of that?”



“At least I know that you would be happy instead of moping around pretending to be humble. I’m the only person in that church that knows it gets to you to sit there Sunday after Sunday, wishing you was in that pulpit.”
Dennis stood up tried to walk away, but Renee stepped in front and pushed him.
“What do you want me to do?” Dennis threw his arms up.
“I want us to leave”
“I’m not leaving,” Dennis said.
“I’m not staying;” Renee leaned back and crossed her arms.
“What did you say?” Dennis walked closer to Renee.
“I’m not going to sit here and watch you continue to kill yourself for a bunch of ingrates.”
“You’ll do as I say,” Dennis pointed at Renee.
“Or else what?” Renee poked her finger into Dennis’s chest.
Dennis yanked Renee closer to him. “Woman, I’m not in the mood! Unless you want me to go to jail tonight, don’t touch me!”
“Let go of me!”
Dennis released his grip and Renee stabbed Dennis in his back with her fingernails as he walked towards the keyboard next to the cobblestone chimney.
“That’s right, walk away. That’s what you’re good at doing. You can’t stand and face anything,” Renee said.


Dennis began to play a slow melody in efforts to regain control of his emotions and drown out Renee’s raspy voice. Her words felt like needles being inserted into his brain.
“Let me go to the board and talk to them. They can override Ananias decision,” Renee said
“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” Dennis asked.
“They know that there are a lot of people that would follow you if you started your own church. The board won’t let Timothy destroy Ananias’s legacy.”
“I’m not leaving unless God tells me to leave,” He closed his eyes and began to play “Amazing Grace“. He visualized an eagle perched on a mountain, prepared to take flight. Renee slammed her hands on the keys and interrupted the image.
“You’re not going to ignore me!” She shouted.
Dennis yanked her hands off the keyboard. “Stop it!”
Renee pounded her hand on the middle of the keys. This time, Dennis knocked her hand away. “I said stop it!”
Renee tried a third time and Dennis jumped up and made his way around the keyboard. Dennis pushed Renee against the wall. He wrapped his hands around her frail throat and punched the wall next to her head.
A sharp pain shot through his hand. Dennis reveled in the fact that he evoked fear into his wife.
“Dad!” Elijah said from the end of the hallway, still in his bedtime clothes.
“Go back to bed honey; everything is okay,” Renee said with a cracked voice.
Elijah did not move, and at this moment, Dennis was more terrified than both Renee and his son. “Did you hear your mother? Go back to bed.”
Dennis loosened his grip and Renee wrestled his hand away. She rushed over to Elijah and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she escorted him into the room. Like a fugitive with only seconds before the police knocked down the door, Dennis grabbed his keys and his coat and ran out the house.

EXCERPT: Pangaea: Eden's Planet

Pangaea: Eden's Planet
By Thomas E. Johnson

ISBN number:978-0-6152-1171-8.
Publisher: Night to Dawn Books (with Barbara Custer as publisher).
Genre: science-fiction
copyright: 2008.
Publishing date: Spring, 2008.
Where can be published: Night to Dawn books (www.bloodredshadows.com), www.Amazon.com, and www.filamentbookclub.com, also directly from the author at http://www15.brinkster.com/jur1/index.html

Websites: http://www15.brinkster.com/jur1/index.html, and http://www..bloodredshadows.com/

The rocket ship, the Galileo Two, with seven astronauts aboard, are on a mission to Mars, where they encounter an anomaly in space that sends them back in time 250 million years. With their ship disabled, there are pulled back to Earth by its strong magnetic force, and they crash-land on the supercontinent, Pangaea.

Encountering the early creatures of the Permian period, they must survive against monstrous mammalian reptiles and natural disasters as they prepare for the coming catastrophe that will eventually give rise to the dinosaurs, while destroying 99.9% of all current species -- including them.

While the threat of Death overlooks them all, two will find love in this prehistoric time -- 250 million years in man's past!
Stumble into a world ruled by fire and demons as a timid, bullied, and dejected therapist, and discover the TWILIGHT HEALER. His fantasy has no limits. His dreams. . .forbidden and raw fantasy. www.bloodredshadows.com

CHAPTER 12

Nature Gone Amok

Just after the sun rose above the horizon, Cooper and the engineer carried Doctor Terril's body to a spot near those of Professor Plymouth and Captain Mercer, and the major began digging another deep hole while Roger Manning knelt in prayer for the deceased.
"This is becoming an unwelcome habit," Cooper grunted as he threw a shovel full of dirt from the hole.
"Death is a part of life," Manning said. "From dust we came, and to dust we will return."
"But it doesn't make any sense," Cooper told him, stopping to rest his muscular arms on the shovel. "None of them should have died. We were all in good health when we started this mission."
"Things have a habit of changing, Cooper. Do you want me to spell you a bit?" Manning asked.
"Nah," Cooper said, "the ground is soft. Plus, I'm getting used to handling one of these things now."
"There'll be more," Manning told him a few minutes later.
"More what -?" Cooper asked. "Oh, you mean the graves, Roger? I guess you're right. It can't be helped, I suppose. We'll all be buried in this prehistoric land some day."
Laughing, he continued, "I don't mean to sound macabre about it, but who'll turn the lights out when we're all gone, Roger? Who'll bury the last one to die? Or will their bones just waste away under this sun at 130 plus degrees Fahrenheit?"
And then Roger’s answer surprised and shocked Cooper to the bone, and he wasn't able to reply, just stare at his friend in a sort of stupor.
"The children," the engineer said quietly.
Returning to the burial process, Cooper gently placed Barbara Terril's body within the grave, and then tossed the dirt back into the hole, packing it down as solidly as possible with the flat side of the shovel.
"She was an angry woman," Cooper said, "but Barbara was a fine companion, friend, and excellent doctor."
"No better words could be spoken over her," the engineer said.
"We'll have to practice medicine without a license from now on," Cooper said.
"I imagine that a lot of that went on in the war, didn't it, Cooper?" Roger asked.
"Some, maybe. At least in the field. At first, there weren't many medics available for the troops on the ground. They were all back of the lines, in the temporary hospitals. Eventually, the government got its game together and started up the Draft again, and obtained the personnel they needed to wipe out half the world."
"They thought of everything," Manning said, shrugging, "except for what God wanted."
"And what did your God want, Manning?" Cooper asked, a little agitated.
"Love," the engineer raised his eyebrows. "Love for one another."
"I can't argue with that, my friend" Cooper said.
"Let's go back and see what's for breakfast, Roger," he told the engineer.
The engineer cackled out his weird laugh. "The same thing every day. Meals ready to eat in those sealed packages!"
Laughing with the engineer, Cooper slung the shovel across his shoulder, rifle style. They headed back to the ship's entrance.
When they walked through the door, Colonel Peterson and Sheri were all ready eating their MREs. Cooper stopped Manning by holding out his arm to block the path, and then whistled.
"Look at the women in this bar, pal. You take the one on the right. I want the one on the left." He grinned.
"What are you going on about, Major?" Colonel Peterson asked from where she was sitting.
Smiling, he said, "Nothing, Ma'am, just making a little joke."
"Little jokes for little minded people," she returned the smile.
"Ouch! Glad to have you back, Colonel."
Sheri was silent as she ate her breakfast, and there was still the glisten of a tear in her eye. Colonel Peterson inclined her head slightly to indicate the girl, as if trying to convey a silent message. Manning caught her meaning immediately.
"Say, Cooper, don't you think the Colonel is exceptionally sexy this morning?" Roger grinned.
Cooper looked at his friend for a second, but finally caught the slight wink the younger man was attempting.
"Oh -" he started. "Yeah, Roger, she is. I was just thinking the same thing. Look at the way she chews on those scrambled eggs. Yum, yum."
"That is so sick," Colonel Peterson groaned.
Sheri giggled, as she wiped her eyes with a napkin from the package of MREs in front of her. "You guys crack me up."
"To heck with the one of the left, pal, I'll take the one on the right," Cooper said, sitting down beside the biologist.
"What?" Roger asked, not understanding.
"I think he was still trying for a little joke," Colonel Peterson told the engineer.
"Say, I sure could go for some breakfast," Cooper hinted.
"Get it yourself," Colonel Peterson suggested.
"It's so good to see you two arguing again," Sheri said, giggling.
"I'll get the MREs, Cooper," Manning told him.
"Thanks, Roger, I want to hear what the girls have been talking about behind our backs," he said.
"Sheri's been trying to cheer me up," Colonel Peterson said.
"Just the opposite, really," Sheri told him. "Evelyn has been trying to make me feel better. But, somehow, the subject keeps switching back to you, Coop."
"I figured if anything could cheer her up, the zoo's biggest baboon might work," the colonel snapped.
Laughing, Sheri said, "We're such a dysfunctional family, aren't we!"
"Did I miss something?" Roger asked, as he returned with the MREs for himself and Cooper.
"No!" three voices echoed.
"We need a distraction today," Sheri said. "Are there any plans afoot, Watson?"
"Actually," Cooper began, "I was thinking that since we didn't get much of a chance to look over the swamps to the east, we might go back today. That is, if everyone's up for the excursion?"
"You want me to go too, Cooper?" Manning asked.
"No, not this time, Roger," Cooper told him. "You need to keep working on the laser gun. I would really like to see it in operation soon."
Nodding his head, the engineer went back to his breakfast.
"That's a wonderful idea, Coop," Sheri said. "Just the thing to take my mind off …" she let the sentence trail off, not wishing to bring up the memory of Doctor Terril.
"All right," Colonel Peterson agreed. "It does sound like a good plan. But please, everyone be careful today. I don't want a repeat of Sheri's accident out there."
"Oh, what happened to you, Sheri?" Cooper winked at the biologist.
"I wouldn't know, Coop. I do remember something about Evelyn falling into the swamps, though."
"Yeah, I think I remember something like that." Cooper grinned. "Mud all over that pretty thigh, and all."
"That's enough of that." Colonel Peterson smiled. She was happy to see Sheri's mind off the death of Barbara Terril, at least for now.
As they entered the margin of the forest later that day, the group stared in awe at all of the damage since their last visit. Mighty trees had been felled, and brush burned to cinders, and there was little left of the grasses. Yet, around the river and shallow lakes, plants were once more coming to life, and the herbivores were munching on the leafy vines that were stretching towards the sunlight.
Predators were abundant, but they saw nothing of the Darwis in the eastern section. They had little doubt they were around. The Gorgons and Dimetrodons were plentiful, as were the crocamanders and Seymourias. Reptiles and amphibians swam and jumped, hopped and dived in the riverbeds and mud banks, while giant worms frolicked in the pools dotting the landscape.
"It is so primordial," Sheri observed. "I'll never get used to its beauty.”
"I might call it awe-inspiring," Colonel Peterson said, "but I'm not so sure I’d use the word beauty to describe this place."
"I don't know," Cooper said. "There is a touch of beauty to the horror of Pangaea."
As they watched in fascination, a large Gorgon attacked and killed a cow-like mammalian, ripping big chunks of meat from a back quarter of the creature and chomping meat and bones as it devoured the plant eater. When it crawled off on its short, chubby back legs, they could see blood and gore dripping from its long, tusk-like saber-teeth.
No sooner had the ugly monster left the carcass of its victim, than the scavengers fell on the body and tore all the flesh from the bones, leaving nothing but a bloody spot where the killing had so recently taken place.
"I think that it's so much death that bothers me," Cooper said.
"Me, too," Sheri jumped in.
"All of us," Colonel Peterson corrected.
Hearing a large splash in the river, they looked upon another savage scene, as a fin backed Dimetrodon was racing to the shore with a huge fish in its mouth.
"Whew, look at the size of that monster!" Cooper grunted.
"That's a small one where Dimetrodons are concerned," Sheri said.
"I’m not talking about the dinosaur." Cooper laughed. "I’m talking about that fat fish in its mouth."
"It's a long ways from being a dinosaur, Coop," Sheri told him, "but I agree about the fish. I bet that thing would feed all of us in one setting."
"Yeah, but don't you want to call them dinosaurs just for the hell of it! In only a few millions years, their ancestors will be dinosaurs!"
"And much bigger!" Sheri agreed.
"What's that over there?" Colonel Peterson asked, pointing towards a small hill that had been cleared of all brush by the recent firestorm.
"It looks like the entrance to a cave." Sheri grinned, an idea coming to her curious mind.
"I don't like this," Cooper said. "I've got a nagging feeling that someone's going to suggest we go in there."
"Where's the adventure in your life, Coop?" Sheri asked, laughing.
"We do need to check it out," Colonel Peterson said. "Even if we only find out what's immediately inside the place. We don't have to venture far inside the cavern."
"I hate caves," Cooper said. "They remind me of bats, and bears, and things you can't see - until it's too late!"
"Well, if you're scared, you can bring your spear, Alley Oop." Colonel Peterson laughed.
"You'll miss me if a bear carries me off, Missy," he said, smiling.
"Like I'd miss the mumps. Now, let's get started. There are some torches in the utility compartment under the rear seat we can get to just as soon as Sheri climbs out from back there."
Jumping from the back with a lithely movement, the biologist jumped to the ground. Cooper raised the back seat and opened the top of a metal box beneath, where he found several items for emergency use, including four long, silver torches. Flashlights, really, but they were the most up to date torches the military carried to search underground tunnels in enemy controlled territory during the war.
Handing two of the torches to the girls, Cooper kept one for himself, replacing the fourth in the utility compartment, and then closing the metal lid again and lowering the back seat to protect their equipment.
He hefted the torch he was carrying in his left hand, saying, "These also come in handy as weapons at close quarters," he said, grinning. "Light weight, but the metal is hard enough to bean somebody over the noggin if you don't have another weapon in your arsenal."
"We do have our automatic pistols, Major," Colonel Peterson told him, "which should be plenty of firepower for anything we might encounter in the cave."
"Never argue with a woman." He chuckled. "But I'll bring the spear just in case, Ma'am."
Shrugging her shoulders, the colonel started for the cave, but her right hand remained close to the holster at her side. Sheri was between the commander and Cooper, protected on both sides, since she was unarmed.
The cave entrance was large enough for all three explorers to walk upright abreast as they wandered inside. The cavern within was huge, stretching for a great distance, a slight downward slope to the floor. They were surprised at the lack of animal life. The biologist even examined the walls for signs of insects or tiny lizards, but the place appeared devoid of all life forms.
"Look," Colonel Peterson pointed at their feet. "There have been animals in here at some time; there are their tracks in the dust on the floor."
"Evelyn is correct, Coop," the biologist cried with glee. "I can't make out any of the prints, but the dust has certainly been disturbed from the passage of creatures at some point in time."
"Keep your lights trained on every dark corner in this place," Cooper pleaded. "I would hate to be surprised by one of those big monsters with the long tusks."
"What's scary," Colonel Peterson said, "I'm starting to agree with the Major. Caves are for bats and bears. Neither of which we have to worry about, by the way. But there are some pretty dangerous creatures we do have to fear. And any of them could be inside this cavern."
"I don't see what we have to be afraid of," Sheri told them. "I still haven't found any sign of life in here!"
"I would like to keep it that way," Cooper said.
"As bad as I hate to agree with Mr. Macho, Sheri, I'm going to echo that sentiment," Colonel Peterson said under her breath.
"Can somebody tell me what we're supposed to be looking for in here?" Cooper asked. "Besides Sheri, that is. I think she'd be happy if we did run into a bear - a big one!"
The biologist giggled, and then sighed. "You're right, Coop, I'd be happy to find anything in here. The lack of any life is kind of puzzling. Something should be living in here, even if it is a tiny organism."
"Something tiny, I can deal with." Cooper grinned, as he held the light up to his face.
The girls looked at his eerie face in the light. Colonel Peterson groaned, but Sheri giggled at the comedic mask he presented. With the light off the ground, and all eyes on him, when Cooper took another step deeper into the cavern, his foot came down on a steep incline, and he temporarily lost his balance. The flashlight went one way, and the spear went the other, with the Major sprawling into soft sand on all fours.
Laughing, he said, "Well, that'll teach me not to clown around in a dark cave.
"Damn!" And in the next instant, he let out a whoop, "My foot’s caught in something. Someone shine their light down here!"
When two flashlight beams were aimed at his feet, three voices sounded as one:
"Oh, hell, what is that thing?"

FEATURED AUTHOR: Shereen McKellar

Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA by her parents and older sister, Shereen McKellar developed a love for reading. She was an avid reader of books by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Paula Danziger and the different children/young adult book series such as Ann M. Martin's The Babysitters' Club, Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley and Betsey Haynes' The Fabulous Five.


Shereen's first two book series Summerdale Friends and Greenfield Friends which she created during her pre-teen years was inspired by those series she enjoyed reading. Although she loved writing and received numerous recommendations from classmates and friends to pursue a writing career, Shereen had dreams of becoming a famous choreographer and dancer. It wasn't until she acknowledged her lack of passion for dancing and read Omar Tyree's Flyy Girl that she aspired to become an author.

She attended both Community College of Philadelphia and Temple University where she took various Creative Writing classes. Once she received her B.A. in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media, she began to work on Girl Talk, a collection of teen chick-lit stories. Girl Talk is a combination of personal experiences, other individuals' personal experiences, things Shereen wished would have happened to her and good old imagination.

Currently, she is at work on her first novel and thinking about half a dozen more writing projects.

Entertaining and fast-paced, Girl Talk is a collection of four stories about discovery, friendship, infatuation, love and those school days.

Confession on an Answering Service is about a fly, but shy sixteen-year-old girl who has a crush on her classmate as big as Pennsylvania. Will she finally tell the object of her affection how she really feels? Or will she keep her feelings on the down low in fear of rejection?

In Kiss And Tell, Essence is sick and tired of her girlfriends constantly hooking her up with every guy who has a heartbeat and a pair of legs. With the help of her best friend Sean, she devises a scheme to put an end to their relentless matchmaking.

Cloud Triple Nine is a humorous tale about three best friends head over heels in love with the same guy-their English teacher. Which one of them will he pick for steady after school sessions?

In What A Sista Wants, you meet Yasmine Harley who has everything going for her. She's smart, funny, beautiful, independent and has more curves on her than a roller coaster at Great Adventure. But, there's one thing she doesn't have-a man. That is until she meets Jacquese Wilson. He's successful, charming, sexy and covered in the smoothest darkest of chocolate. Before she can say "love," she finds herself in a relationship with him but realizes that like a lot of things, love isn't perfect.

So go grab a bag of potato chips, kick off your shoes, relax your feet and lie back to enjoy some...GIRL TALK.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?

The most important thing I would like my readers to take away from the book is to never judge a book by its cover, but to read the chapters. I think, both teenagers and adults, automatically think we know a person based on their appearance when in fact, we should take the time to get to know a person. This can go from that cute boy in class to your favorite celebrity.

What is your favorite scene from your book?

Well, since my book is an anthology, I would have to choose a scene from the first story, "Confession On An Answering Service" which is when Shanique listens to her crush Jason talking about her to his friends. I love this scene because it's not only the turning point in the story, but it's when Shanique realizes the kind of person Jason truly was.

Why did you elect to write for children?

I wanted to write for young adults because ever since I was in grade school I was an avid reader. A lot of the books I read were books by Judy Blume, Beverly Clearly, Paula Danziger and a lot of the YA book series like The Babysitters' Club, Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High, The Fabulous Five, etc and a lot of the characters were Caucasian. I use to say all the time, "I would love to do something like this, but books that feature Black American characters," Because just like our Caucasian counterparts, we (Black American) girls like to talk on the phone, we have crushes on our classmates and teachers, hang out with our friends, we get caught up in peer pressure and so forth and so
forth.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that writing a book isn't just about writing. If anything, it's more rewriting and rewriting and rewriting:) And with writing a collection of short stories, I tried to not make the stories sound the same or repeat the same words over and over again which is quite a task, but hopefully I accomplished that where "Cloud Triple Nine" is different from "Confession On An Answering Service" which is different from "What A Sista Wants" and different from "Kiss And Tell".

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

That writing is not easy. Many non-writers think it's not hard, but it is. I have tons of ideas dancing in my mind, but it can be difficult to actually put them on paper and make sure your scenes flow smoothly without tricks or gimmicks.

What is the best lesson you have learned from another Children book writer?

The best lesson I've learned is to keep it real when writing for teens even if it may offend some folks. One thing about Judy Blume that I admire is she tackled issues that were touchy to some individuals like teenage sex and having your menstrual cycle but that happens.

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?

The toughest test is actually letting readers know about my book. It's one thing to be an author with a mainstream publishing house and they have all the distribution channels and a publicity department, but it's another thing when you're an independent author so you have to do the leg work yourself. So yes, the toughest test would be the marketing aspect.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

It would probably be listening to others' conversations and reading posts on online message boards because you learn different words and get various' opinions on one topic.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

Well, one is that I wished I known that marketing can be harder than writing a book. Two, I wish I had known to be aware that there are a lot of shady individuals in the literary field. And three, I wish I had known to handle each bookseller and librarian differently when it comes to promotional items. I can't tell you how many times I've given posters to bookstores and libraries only for the posters to get lost or to just not being displayed in the window. I would say to any author particularly independent authors to first ask the book seller or librarian would they like a poster and to take a look around the library or the bookstore and see if they have posters in the display windows or plastered on the walls. If so, chances are they will put your poster up. But I would ask first.

How do you reach new readers?

Wow. Where do I begin with this? There are so many ways to reach new readers, but the best way I have found, and it's actually, one of the most affordable ways, is to schedule programs at local libraries. Book signings are good, but in order to pique someone's interest, especially a teenager, is to discuss the book. And with my programs I'm interactive with the audience. I think the most boring thing an author can do is talk endlessly about his or her book for a half an hour to forty-five minutes. That's how an audience loses interest. I always ask my young audience questions related to issues in the book. Then I briefly talk about the book before I either have volunteers read from the book or act out a scene. Apparently that works because the libraries that I have had book discussions at, I've noticed "Girl Talk" is being checked out on a daily basis sometimes several copies simultaneously.

Can you give us five Children book authors you admire?

Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Ann M. Martin, Betsy Haynes and Francine Pascal.

If you could have dinner with 3 authors to talk with about their writing (living or deceased) who would you invite and why?

There are sooo many authors I would like to talk to about their writing, but since I have to narrow it down to three it would be Omar Tyree because he actually inspired me to write as a career and not as a hobby, Francine Pascal because I was such a big Sweet Valley series fan it wasn't even funny and Eric Jerome Dickey because I think he's one of the best contemporary authors out there.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a children’s book writer?

One do is to be friendly and approachable to everyone whether they're buying your book or not. I've find there are authors who are sweet as pie when individuals purchase their books, but are the total opposite towards customers who don't. Your book is not going to appeal to everybody. Not only that, but if you're nice and pleasant that person who may not have bought your book that day can always buy it later simply because how nice you were to them.



And one don't is to assume all teenagers are the same. To me teenagers aren't that much different from adults except adults have more responsibilities. I'm a firm believer in the old adage, "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number,"

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)



The best way to reach me is through my website which is http://www.shereenmckellar.com/.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?


Unlike "Girl Talk" which is geared towards teenagers and adults, my next book is geared towards the 18-34 crowd. But I still will be writing for young adults. I have all sorts of ideas from doing a suspense/thriller novel for young adults to a series about a group of best friends aspiring to become a famous singing group. I'm even considering doing an anthology similar to "Girl Talk" but to young males so you just never know. But do know you haven't read the last from me:)

FEATURED AUTHOR: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

By the end of 2008, Lauren Baratz-Logsted will have had 12 books published since 2003 in a variety of genres: six novels for adults, including Vertigo, The Thin Pink Line, and Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes; three for teens, including Angel's Choice and Secrets of My Suburban Life; and for young readers, the first two volumes in The Sisters Eight series, co-written with her husband Greg Logsted and their eight-year-old daughter Jackie. Lauren is also the editor and a contributor to the anthology This Is Chick-Lit. You can read more about her life and work at http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/.

THE SISTERS EIGHT is a nine-book series about that rarest of things, octuplets, eight sisters – not quite eight years old – who find themselves plunged into adventure. On New Year’s Eve, Mommy goes into the kitchen for eggnog while Daddy goes out to the shed for firewood…and neither returns. Now the Eights, as they are known, must solve the mystery of what happened to Mommy and Daddy while keeping the greater world from realizing that eight little girls are living home alone.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?

I'd like them to have fun, no matter what their age. THE SISTERS EIGHT books are targeted for the 6- to 10-year-old market, but we tried to create books that, like those of Roald Dahl, would have something for readers of all ages.

What is your favorite scene from your book?

It's so hard to say! Maybe the one where Annie tricks Pete the mechanic into teaching her how to drive Mommy's Hummer? And then she creates a Daddy costume, complete with fedora and handlebar mustache, which she wears while Durinda pushes the pedals while she drives because she can't reach them?

Why did you elect to write for children?

That's an easy one. My daughter, Jackie, has always been proud of my career, but she's never been able to read any of my books because the content is too mature. So when she was six, her father Greg Logsted (also a writer), she and I brainstormed THE SISTERS EIGHT while stranded in Colorado by a blizzard. (Jackie's eight now.)

What did you learn while writing this book?

That it's a lot more challenging writing with two other people...but also it's a lot more fun!

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

That writers, or at least most writers, work very hard at what they do. It's not that easy to string together 50,000-100,000 words - or even just 20,000, in the case of books for young readers - and wind up with something that people other than your own mother will pay good money for. We mean well; we really do. We just don't always succeed.


What is the best lesson you have learned from another Children book writer?

From a lot of children's writers I've learned: never talk down to kids. I agree.

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?

Staying published! Really, you spend years trying to break into this business, only to find it's even tougher to keep going. That said, I love my job and I'm grateful to have it.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Listen to political news almost all day long while working and watch "General Hospital."

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

That it's harder writing the second book than the first; that the rejection never stops; that you have little control over anything but the quality of the writing. But I still love my job! Did I mention that I love my job? I do.

How do you reach new readers?

Through blogging and doing as much networking as I can on the Internet. Oh, and crossing my fingers; I do that a lot too.

Can you give us five Children book authors you admire?

Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Marcus Zusak, Roald Dahl and Greg Logsted (how can I not mention my husband???).

If you could have dinner with 3 authors to talk with about their writing (living or deceased) who would you invite and why?

Since you didn't limit it to children's authors, I'm going to go with William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte and Gabriel Garcia Marquez because they're just giants. I'd add F. Scott Fitzgerald, but that would be being greedy.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a children’s book writer?

As mentioned above: don't talk down to children in your writing. In terms of the "do," do listen to real children talking so you can develop an ear for their voices. Oh, and do read children's books too. It's tough to write for an audience if you don't know what they really like.

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

My website is http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/ and there's an email link there. Readers can also learn more about THE SISTERS EIGHT series at http://www.sisterseight.com/.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

Greg, Jackie and I have written the first four of THE SISTERS EIGHT books. My next book on my own is CRAZY BEAUTIFUL, a young adult novel due out in mid-2009 that's a contemporary beauty-and-the-beast tale about a gorgeous girl and a boy with hooks for hands. Thank you so much for having me!

FEATURED AUTHOR: Johnny Ray Moore

Johnny Ray Moore is a poet and children’s author with five books in print. His books are: HOWIE HAS A STOMACHACHE (in English and Spanish), published by Seedling Publications, Inc.; A LEAF, published by Seedling Publications, Inc.; THE STORY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., published by Candy Cane Press (an imprint of Ideals Publications); and, MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., published by Ideals Children’s Books.

Johnny is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Johnny lives in Raleigh, NC with his lovely wife and three daughters.

MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is known as the man who brought an end to segregation in America. From the beginning, Martin was a boy obsessed with reading; a brilliant student who skipped two grades; a Christian minister who organized a boycott against segregated buses; a motivated speaker who delivered a timeless speech at the Lincoln Memorial; and, a blessed American whose birthday is now a national holiday.

MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. is only an introduction to this great man and the many things he accomplished. Furthermore, here is a way for our youth to MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?

What I would like for readers to take away from my book, MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., is that Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to gaining equal rights for men and women of all nationalities. And, he gave his life for what he believed.

What is your favorite scene from your book?

My favorite scene from MEET MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. is Martin delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial to more than 250,000 people.

Why did you elect to write for children?

I elected to write for children because they are so eager, curious and spontaneous in their efforts to learn. And, I felt that I could instill in them good and timeless principles for making life better.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that Martin Luther King, Jr. was surely ordained by God to lead African-Americans in a quest for equality and a better life for that time and for generations to come.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

I wish other non-writers would understand that writing is a serious and thought-provoking profession. And, that being true to one’s self; hard committed work; and persistence enable a writer to get the recognition he or she deserves.

What is the best lesson you have learned from another children’s book writer?

I have learned from another children’s book writer that writing is more of REWRITING than anything else. And, I make it a point to rewrite a manuscript, continuously, within reason, if my doing so will make the manuscript better.

What is the toughest test you’ve faced as a writer?

The toughest test I’ve faced as a writer and I continue to face as a writer is making time to write. This is due to my being a husband; a father to 3 lovely daughters; working a fulltime job; and, just staying current on the properties of good, wholesome living.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Readers would be surprised to know that I fantasize about being a cowboy living on my very own small ranch, complete with a few miniature horses and a few miniature cattle, plus, a few crops to tend.

What are three things you wish you had known before you reached where you are now?

Three things I wish I had known (as a poet and children’s author) before reaching where I am now are: I wish I had known to be open to different genres of writing; I wish I had known not to ever take any of my ideas for granted; and, I wish I had known that I must BELIEVE, totally, in my GOD-GIVEN, writing talent.

How do you reach new readers?

I reach new readers by familiarizing myself with what they enjoy reading. Especially, if they enjoy the genres in which I write. If new readers are interested in some of the books I have written, then, I go beyond the call of duty as a poet and children’s author in presenting to them my very best, and never anything less.

Can you give us five children’s book authors you admire?

Five children’s book authors I admire are Julius Lester (author of TO BE A SLAVE); Eleanora E. Tate (author of CELESTE’S HARLEM RENAISSANCE); Kelly Starling Lyons (author of ONE MILLION MEN AND ME); Thacher Hurd (author of MAMA DON’T ALLOW); and, Sandra Boynton (author of BARNYARD DANCE!).

If you could have dinner with 3 authors to talk with about their writing (living or deceased), who would you invite and why?

I would invite Julius Lester, so we could discuss BLACK COWBOY WILD HORSES (A True Story).

I would invite Dr. Seuss, so we could discuss how he managed to create some of the interesting characters that he wrote about in his many books.

And, I would invite Patricia MacLachlan, so we could discuss her timeless book, SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL.

Can you give us one do and one don’t for those aspiring to be a children’s book writer?

One “DO” for aspiring children’s book writers is to take full advantage of the flow of endless ideas that are forever around you.

One “DON’T” for aspiring children’s book writers is don’t ever become complacent in regards to your writing ability. The glass must always appear HALF-FULL to you and never HALF-EMPTY. YOU MUST DO YOUR BEST WRITING, ALWAYS.

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

Readers can contact me by emailing me at JMOORE92591@NC.RR.COM; or, by calling and leaving me a message at 919-790-2253.

Can you give us a sneak peek of your next book?

Yes. My next book to be released in 2009 is BUT STILL, WE DREAM (a novel in verse). Here are two samples from the mentioned book:

OUR SHABBY HOUSE SITS INSIDE
a barbed wire fence.
We have very little.
No swing, no fancy bikes,
Not even wood for a treehouse.
The most we have (for now) are
dreams of a better life.
Our landlord has it all.
A brick house, new cars,
a motorcycle, a truck.
All outside the barbed wire fence.
But still, we dream our dreams
and keep telling one another
that we can be proud of who we are
and still have something.

I’M DETERMINED TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS
I’m destined to be oh so smart
I nurture all the blessed good I can
that ‘s flowing so freely within my heart.
So don’t offer me gold or fancy cars
That stuff simply come and go
I’m banking on things I’ve surely learned
And, daring my mind to, endlessly, grow…

EXCERPT: Forsaken Canyon

Forsaken Canyon
bY Margaret Daley

ISBN# 0-373-44309-9
Publisher Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense
Genre romantic suspense
Copyright October 2008
Published date same
Where it can be purchased http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=241

(eharlequinn)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=node%3D1000%2C23%2C13391%2C13432&field-keywords=margaret+daley&x=0&y=0

(Amazon)
Website http://www.margaretdaley.com/

"I'll arrest you." So threatens the tribal chief of police if Kit
Sinclair dares enter Desolation Canyon alone. Hawke Lonechief insists
it's too dangerous. He lost his wife to the treacherous canyon. He
knows the ancient ruins Kit seeks aren't worth her life. But Kit is
sure all that hiking and searching will help put her traumatic past
behind her. When she risks Hawke's wrath by going alone, he finally
agrees to lead her. On his terms. Impossible. Because someone else is
following their every move. Watching them grow closer to danger with
every step...

Prologue

The Guardian wished he hadn’t been forced to do this, but someone had to save Kit from her fiancé. She was just too naïve and trusting.

Comfortably hidden in the shut-off balcony of the church, he lined up his sights on the rifle and aimed for the man’s heart. The sounds of the wedding march reverberated through the large nave. With precision and preparation he would succeed, and one day she would thank him.

Her fiancé stood on the steps to the altar, facing the center aisle. The smile the man gave Kit—as though he really loved her--chilled the Guardian. She deserved so much better.

Calmness descended as he adjusted his grip, checking his target. The sight of her nearing her fiancé prompted him into action. Taking a deep breath, he held it while fingering the trigger.

This is for you, Kit. He squeezed off the shot.


Chapter One

Kit Sinclair bolted straight up in bed, darkness pressing in on all sides. Her lungs burned as she dragged air into them. The sound of her heart pounding in her ears like the roar of a powerful storm.

Just another nightmare. I’m safe in my bedroom.

But the thought didn’t assuage the terror that constricted her chest as if she were standing in front of the altar right now. She could still see the red stain fanning outward on her fiancé’s snowy white shirt and Gregory’s hand reaching out to her. The screams in the church resounded through her mind. The scent of her fiancé’s blood filled her nostrils as though she were still holding his body clutched to her.

Will I ever be free of the memories, Lord?

She raked a wavering hand through her sweat damp hair then reached for the lamp on her bedside table. After two failed attempts, she finally managed to pull the chain, and a soft glow flooded the black recesses of her room. But her mind still remained in the clutch of darkness, had since the day her fiancé had been murdered right in front of her two years ago.

Glancing at her clock, she noted the time and realized she’d only gotten a few hours of sleep. She flipped back the sheet and climbed from the bed. She might as well work since she had to get up early anyway to make her meeting in Santa Maria Pueblo this morning.

Thankfully she had something to concentrate on other than her past. She could do nothing about what had happened, but she could prove her theory was right, hopefully with the help of Zach Collier’s cousin. If not she would find another way. Her job at the college depended on it.

* * *

Hawke Lonechief finished the dregs of his coffee and motioned for Anna, the owner of the café and his cousin, to refill it. “I’m gonna need it this morning.”

“Another all-nighter?”

“How can you tell?” Hawke took a tentative sip of the black brew, relishing its strong flavor, just the way he liked it, no sugar, no cream.

“Cousin, we grew up together. I know when you haven’t gotten any sleep. Do you ever see your mother?”

“Sure, we had dinner together two nights ago.” And his mother had basically read him the riot act although in her case it was mainly said with her usual few words. She was worried about him, but his work held the haunting memories at bay.

“You’re the chief of police so why are you doing everything down at the station? What are the other officers for?”

Hawk shrugged. “What’s wrong with working?”

“Nothing, if in moderation. But you don’t know the meaning of the word.”

He grinned. “Sure I do. It means steering clear of any excesses. I don’t have time for excesses.”

“You don’t call practically living at the station an excess?” She fluttered her hand in the air. “Nope. Don’t answer that. I never could change your mind while we were growing up. I don’t know why I even waste my breath trying to now.”

“I’m responsible for the safety and well being of thousands of people. I don’t take that responsibility lightly.”

“And you shouldn’t, but what about your mother? Have you left Aunt Evelyn to fend for herself on the ranch?”

Stung by the rebuke of his well-meaning cousin, Hawke straightened in the booth and cupped the mug between his hands while he drank some more coffee. “Charlie’s wife got sick. Somebody had to take care of his small children. I couldn’t ask him to take his usual shift last night.”

Anna wagged her head. “There’s always something with you. Go home. Get some sleep.” She sent him a quizzical look. “You are going home, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am as soon as I meet with someone. Then home it is.”

“Good because that ranch is too much for Aunt Evelyn alone.”

“That’s why I hired some more help.”

“Who?”

“Lighthorse’s oldest son, John.”

“Good. He’s reliable. She needs someone who is.”

“Ouch.” The persistent reproach in Anna’s voice needled Hawke. “As I told you, I have responsibilities I can’t shirk.”

“I know and we appreciate it. Crime is down at the pueblo since you took over as police chief. But we both know what this is really about.”

The door to the café opened, and a petite woman with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail entered. Hawke zeroed in on her rather than continue the conversation with Anna because there was no way he would get into a discussion with her about that.

The attractive woman scanned the tables and booths until she found him and then immediately headed in his direction. As he watched her move with assurance and economy, alarm bells—bells he usually listened to--went off in his mind. What had possessed him to agree to meet with this woman? He should have told his cousin, Zach, no.

Behind the pleasing features, he glimpsed a woman on a mission. The determined set to her chin and the focused look in her blue eyes alerted him to be wary. He didn’t need trouble. He’d had enough of that to last him two lifetimes.

Exhausted from no sleep in twenty-four hours, Hawke tried to paste a semblance of a smile on his face in greeting. Once he made a commitment he didn’t back out no matter how much he wanted to. The corners of his mouth twitched in protest. He gave up and rose instead.

“Dr. Kit Sinclair?”

“Yes, you must be Zach’s cousin, Hawke Lonechief.” She grinned and took his hand to shake.

The brief, firm exchange didn’t relieve the tension building in his gut. He waved his arm toward the seat across from him. “Please sit.”

After she slipped into the booth, Anna, who had been hovering on the side observing the meeting with more interest than Hawke would like, approached. “What can I get for you?”

“I’ve heard great things about your coffee here at the café from Zach Collier. That’s all I need.” That and the man across from me to agree to be my guide to Desolation Canyon.

“You know Zach?”

“I’m a professor of history at the Albuquerque City College. We have worked together on a few projects.”

“Science and history working together?” The waitress poured a mug full of the wonderfully fragrant coffee.

“Thank you.” Kit lifted the cup to her mouth and drew in a deep breath of the aroma, one of the best smells in the world especially when she had tried to avoid sleeping as much as possible. She could use the whole pot after the night before. “I helped Zach with some of the history behind his Aztec codices, at least the part that involved the Spanish conquistadors. That’s one of my specialties.”

Normally she wouldn’t go into so much detail except that she wanted the man across from her to know the information. Zach had told her Hawke Lonechief was the best person to help her, possibly the only one. He knew every square foot of Santa Maria Pueblo, and he could survive where most people couldn’t. The place she wanted to go to wasn’t called Desolation Canyon without reason. It was a hard, rough, barren land.

Like your life. The thought came unbidden into her mind. She shoved it away.

After the waitress left, Kit lounged back against the cushion, trying to relax her taut muscles. Even running through the mental relaxation technique a friend had taught her did nothing to alleviate the stress mounting in her as she got closer to discovering if her theory was right or not. Nor was imagining herself on top of a mountain, looking out over a beautiful vista right before the sun went down doing the trick—not when dark brown eyes studied her with an intensity that stole her breath, her composure.

She did her own survey of the man. He was dressed in tan slacks and shirt with an emblem indicating he was a tribal police officer. His short black hair surprised her. She had pictured him with long hair on the hour drive from Albuquerque. What else would surprise her?

“Now that we have finished sizing each other up, why do you need a guide? Zach didn’t tell me much. Just that you two worked together and you were a friend.” Hawke finished his coffee and set it on the table.

Direct. She liked that. “I’m looking for evidence of the Lost City of Gold.”

“Who isn’t? But at Santa Maria Pueblo? I don’t think so.”

The territorial tone of his voice warned her this might not be an easy sell. “I think there was a lot of truth to the legend that sent Coronado all over the Southwest looking for it. Working with Zach and what I discovered while in Spain researching the topic for my dissertation has only reinforced my conviction, which has grown the past several years.”

One corner of Hawke’s mouth hitched up. “Sure. Who wouldn’t want to find a place so full of gold that all your worries would be taken care of.”

She stiffened at his mocking tone, but she realized after all this time the tale did sound farfetched. “I think there was a place that prompted the legend, but I’m not saying it exists today as it did five hundred years ago or that it was as grand as the story said. If it did, it probably would have been discovered.”

He folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. “Do you make it a habit to go around telling people you’re looking for the Lost City of Gold?”

“No,” she said with a chuckle. “They would think I was mad.”

“Are you?”

“No, sorry to disappoint you. I’m perfectly sane. But I need a guide, and Zach said you were the best, that you helped him and Maggie last year with the Aztec codices. I trust Zach’s opinion.”

“So you trust me?”

“Yes.” Did she have a choice?

“You shouldn’t.” His almost black gaze drilled into her.

EXCERPT: Even Sinners Have Souls

Even Sinners Have Souls
Authors: Noire, Chunichi, KaShamba Williams, Blunt, Nikki Turner

ISBN# 978-0-9706726-4-3
Publisher End of the Rainbow Projects
Genre Fiction
Copyright March 2008
Published date May 2008
Where it can be purchased Bookstores and online Bookstores

Even Sinners Have Souls edited by E.N. Joy features NOIRE, CHUNICHI, KASHAMBA WILLIAMS, B.L.U.N.T. and NIKKI TURNER; the literary industry's most dominant and prolific authors in the urban street lit and urban erotica genres. These respected authorities have all come together for the first time ever, taking a break from penning their norm, to pen a piece of work that truly flowed from their spirits. Each gritty and profound story is told in just as raw and real of a voice as any other urban tale, luring the readers in by the poignant storylines and themes and the genuine talents and abilities of each of these prolific authors. The stories have characters who face the same struggles and tragedies that any other person growing up in the hood might endure, but what makes these stories phenomenal is the fact that although these characters might be living a dangerous, immoral and unacceptable lifestyle according to society's standards, they are not so far gone that they can't acknowledge the power of a higher being and a life changing moment that could alter their lives forever. Be prepared to be engaged, moved and compelled as in each tale you will see a side to these authors that you have never seen before. Do not expect what you are used to getting from these authors...expect the unexpected-EXPECT MORE!

Trust No Man
By
Chunichi

Chapter One

"Whatever!" Tatiana put her hand all up in Tike's
face as she walked by him with her signature strut; legs
stretched strong, behind tooted out.
"Dang, loose booty," Tike replied, uncut by Tatiana's
razor sharp tongue. "I got a G stack on dat, Goldie.
What's up?”
Tike was just some young hood who, for someone his
age that banked lots of money, still lived at home with
mama. But one couldn't tell he had paper by his appearance,
though. He pretty much wore the same dingy
white tee with worn baggy jeans. Unlike some of the
other young hustlers on the block, Tike liked to stack
his loot. He claimed that while all the other young cats
were being stupid by spending all their money on brand
names that made Sean, Jay and Russell millionaires,
instead he would save up his money until he became
one himself.
The rude group of guys that were hanging out on the
block with Tike paused their dice game long enough to
watch the word "Juicy", printed on the backside of
Tatiana's sweat pants, bounce up and down as she
passed by. With bow legs, light eyes, curly, shoulder
length hair and a coke bottle frame that barely hit five
feet, she had the attention of all the fellas in the hood.
They yelled one comment after another as she made her
way into the corner store.
With one hand on the store's door, and the other
hand on her hip, she paused, "It ain't nothing a dude
can do for me but break bread. If you ain't breaking no
bread, this convo is dead," Tatiana spat, as she rolled
her eyes and then stepped into the store.
Tatiana picked up a pack of backwoods, a bottle of
water and a lighter. She was fiendin' for a smoke so bad
that she could practically taste the weed on her tongue
as she headed to the register and placed her items on
the counter.
"That will be five dollars and ninety-seven cents," the
clerk said after ringing up Tatiana's things.
Tatiana went into her purse and pulled out the
money.
"I got that for you, Ma," a male voice said as he
grabbed her hand to prevent her from paying the clerk.
"Wow, thanks. A whole six bucks, and all for little ole
me," Tatiana said sarcastically, as she turned around
and faced the smiling, thugged out looking dude that
stood behind her.
He was a perfect six feet tall. He was rocking cornrows,
Tru Religion jeans and a fresh white tee; looking
like the average thug. All he needed was a blinged out
grill.
"Don't get it twisted, lil mama. I woulda done the
same for you if you were an old lady, lil kid, or junkie on
the street. Dat's just me, baby girl."
Tatiana eyeballed the Good Samaritan up and down
as she placed her money back in her purse. The way
this dude talked had really caught her attention. His
tone wasn't smart-alecky, but had enough spice to let
Tatiana know that his act of kindness towards her
didn't make her special.
"Oh, so it's like that? You all generous and things to
just any ol' body, huh?" She asked her first test question.
"I guess. If that's how you want to put it." The guy
grabbed the bag of items that the clerk had packaged up
and then handed them to Tatiana, who just stood there
looking at him. "You gonna say thanks?" he asked as
she accepted the bag.
"Dang! Give me a chance." She rolled her eyes and
then paused for a second before saying, "Thank you."
Tatiana emphasized the words while rolling her neck.
"Anything for you, sweetie." He winked, letting
Tatiana know that he wasn't all hardcore; that he had a
soft side buried somewhere within as well. "Can I do
more?" He proceeded to pay for the soda and bag of
chips that he was purchasing for himself while he waited
on her reply.
Little did he know, that was just what Tatiana
wanted to hear. Like she'd told many men before, there
was nothing a man could do for her but buy her things.
Other than that, no man was any use to her. So when
this gentleman offered to do more, the answer was not
just "yes," it was "Hayellll, yes," with a capitol H.
"It depends on what you are trying to do," Tatiana snapped
back, sure not to seem too eager.
"I'll let you call it, Lil Miss Attitude," the young man
calmly responded, acknowledging Tatiana's feistiness.
"And it's Goldie; Miss Goldie to you." Tatiana licked
her lips. "Miss Goldie can be reached at 328…" She gave
him her nickname and then read off her phone number.
He took out his cell phone and entered and saved it
into his electronic phonebook.
"Aight, Miss Goldie. I'll holla at you. And since you
asked," he said before telling the clerk to keep the
change, his words laced with a dose of his own sarcasm,
"the name is Jo," he winked and then headed out the
door. Jo nearly ran into Tike, who stood right outside
the exit, staring in.
Tatiana exited the store soon after. She hadn't even
gotten out of the store good before the comments from
the boys in the hood began again.
"Oh, a G stack wasn't good enough, huh?" Tike said
after witnessing Tatiana giving up the digits to Jo. "You
be playing games." Tatiana ignored him and kept on
walking. "Forget you. You'd probably rather bump monkeys
with your home girl, Kandi, anyway; homo trick,"
Tike yelled to Tatiana, knowing of one of her best
friends, Kandi's, bisexual orientation. "So what dude
offering? A spot on his trick block picking up where yo'
mommy left off?" Tike said, entertaining all the dudes on
the block like he was the hood comedian.
To Tatiana's ears, his audience's laughter was like the sound
of a microphone nearing a speaker getting too much feedback.
That comment Tike made set it off for Tatiana. She
stopped in her tracks and turned around. She looked up
at the dirty little boy that she stood toe to toe with and
said nothing. Her eyes alone said it all. Her mouth moistened
as all sorts of thoughts ran through her mind. Her
mouth filled with fluid as she prepared to empty her
wetness in Tike's face. She took a deep breath and
cleared her throat to bring up every ounce of sinus
phlegm she had in her body until her mouth was full to
the point she wanted to throw up.
"Yo!"
Tatiana heard a voice then felt a shove as Jo
forced his way between her and Tike.
"Chill out, lil man, fo' you be off dis block," Jo said as he
stood between Tatiana and the nothing little peon that had disrespected
her. His towering body was like a shadow over Tike's
five foot, six inch, thin frame.
"It's all good, homie," Tike said, raising his arms in
surrender. "We was just playing around with Miss Lady,
here. It ain't nothin'." It was obvious that Tike didn't
want no drama with Jo. He was all talk and no action.
"Just make sure nothin' never turns into somethin'
and we good." Jo held his hand out to Tike, who hesitantly
shook it and then made his way over to the game
of dice like a wounded pup.
"You alright, baby girl?" Jo asked, sincerely concerned
as he turned his attention to Tatiana.
Tatiana stood silently, trying to calm herself back
down. She then spat on the ground and looked up at Jo.
"I'm good. I can handle my own, though. I don't need a
big brother," Tatiana snapped, as she headed toward
the truck that just that afternoon she had convinced
some naive boat boy to let her hold while he was out to
sea.
"Dis you?" Jo asked, following behind her, surprised
to see her driving a 08 Cadillac Escalade.
"Nope. Another dude's whip. That's all y'all good for
anyway; just to use and abuse. All y'all the same; disrespectful,
dead beats, womanizers, and woman beaters. But I know one thing,
you can bet cha last stack this chick here will never fall victim."
Tatiana, got in the truck, shut the door, and then sped off, leaving Jo
speechless.
Once on the road, and out of sight from anyone on
the block, Tatiana's eyes filled with water. She didn't
know why she had let Tike's words get to her. She
thought she had mastered the art of tuning men out
after breaking it off with Touch, the last dude she had
called herself playing the part of wifey with. All Touch
did was belittle her with his tongue; putting her down in
an attempt to build himself up. That was something
Tatiana took note of that men often did as a twisted way
of making themselves feel like a man.
Tatiana hated all men. Even when she tried to give a
guy a chance, he would always end up being just like
the others. She knew she was bitter when it came to
men, but that's all she'd ever seen or known. Not one
man had ever done anything to even make her think
twice about the way she felt about them. And for that
fact, she always said that if God was a man, then she
hated him too.
"I look way too good to be innocent." Her phone
interrupted her thoughts as it played the lyrics of
Conceited by Remy Ma. The number that showed up on
the caller ID was unfamiliar. "Hola?" Tatiana said with a
fake Spanish accent, disguising her voice just in case
she had to play stupid to the person on the other end of
the phone.
"Miss Goldie?" a male asked from the other end.
Tatiana knew it could be only one person calling her
Miss Goldie, besides, the sound of his voice was still
fresh in her head.
"Yes, Jo?"
"You aight?"
"Yes, I am." Tatiana's tone was as if she was more so
aggravated by his concerns rather than flattered.
"Yo, ma, why you so mean? You got me confused, on
the real. I ain't been nothing but chill since I met you
and you ain't gave me nothing but grief. Why you even
give me your number if it's all like that?" Jo asked, trying
to figure out what was up with Tatiana and all her
attitude.
"For the dough." Tatiana kept it real. "Like I said,
that's all men are good for."
Jo chuckled at this girl's directness before replying,
"Okay. I'll take that risk. I'm still gonna holla at you
even with dat said. In the end, I'm sure you'll realize you
got a good man on your hands," Jo said confidently.
He could tell by the hurt look in Tatiana's eyes when Tike
was clowning on her, that she had some issues. But he
knew just who could resolve them. Tatiana's hard attitude
didn't scare him off, nor was it a threat. It was a
challenge; one that Jo was willing to take.
"Don't be so sure, boo. I don't know what a good man
looks like, acts like, talks like or walks like. I ain't never
seen one. To keep it real, I ain't know they even existed.
If you're a good man, you better breed fast, 'cause I
think you the only one left on the face of this earth."
"Just give me a chance. That's all I ask."
"You want a chance, Mister Jo? Cool, I'll give you
that. Because guess what? It's real easy to keep me
around." Tatiana began to break it down like it was part
of the Ten Commandments. "Keep the money coming
and you'll keep me. And it goes the same when it comes
to losing me. Money gone; I'm gone. They don't call me
Goldie for nothing! Got it?" Tatiana said with no shame.
This chick is really trying to play me like a sucker, Jo
thought to himself. It seemed as though Tatiana was
becoming more brazen by the minute. Maybe her wall
was too strong to be broken down. Jo contemplated on
whether or not he should just hang up and erase her
number, but he decided to play this thing out. He was
in it to win it.
"Why do they call you Goldie anyway?" he
asked in an attempt to make her believe that he was
ignoring all of her other statements.
"For a few reasons." Tatiana prepared to break it
down. "One, because the opportunity to holla at a chick
like me is golden. Two, I'm straight gold digging and I
don't keep it a secret. And three, the chances of a dude
hitting this is like the chances of him finding a leprechaun
carrying a pot of gold. Now, like I said before,
got it?"
The thought of hanging up on Tatiana popped into
Jo's head again, but something just wouldn't let him do
it. "Yeah, aight." Jo chose to swallow his pride and listen
to the angel whispering in his ear on the right rather
than follow the constant whisper of the devil on his left
telling him that this chick was unsavable; that he could
never get her to change her mind about men. "But just
one thing." Jo paused. "What's your government name?"
She hesitated, preferring that he call her Goldie like
all the other dudes, but then her real name just came
out. "Tatiana."
"Aight, Tatiana. You got my number; it showed up on
your phone, I'm sure. Just give me a shout when you
ready to get with a real man-the man." Jo ended the call
by hanging up in her ear without saying so much as
"later," giving himself a little self esteem boost.
"Whatever!" Tatiana said to herself after Jo hung up
in her ear.
She thought to herself as she continued her route
home that Jo probably had plenty of game; but not
enough to change the thoughts of Tatiana Turner. The
way she felt about guys was set in stone and there was
nothing that anyone could do, or say, to change that.
One thing that Tatiana had promised herself was
that she would never be a man's punching bag, baby
mother, ex-wife or mistress. And the world could give
thanks to her sperm donor, Silk, and that no good
mother of hers, Jan, for blessing her with the foundation
for those thoughts, and for losers like Touch that
she let into her life for confirming it. They had ruined it
for every man that crossed her path and got burned
with the golden torch.
But little did Tatiana know, if Jo was to have his
way, he just might have the water to put out that flame
of the golden torch.

FEATURED AUTHOR: Leigh Mcknight

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

The importance of family as well as friendship, relationships and the willingness to pursue goals regardless of the difficulties

What did you learn while writing this book?

This book was therapeutic. Even during difficult times, this book allowed me to
escape the madness and live vicariously through the characters

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

Obtaining the right agent and publishing company and marketing your work

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

Time constraints; not having the luxury of spending enormous amounts of time talking
about previously discussed issues or issues of no importance

Our theme this month is Time Management. How do you do to manage your writing time?

By being my own best friend and allowing my voice mail to do its job. I’ve got
friends whom I care dearly about but very often I find some of them competing with
my writing time. But, I sometimes write early in the morning, late at night or
whenever I have fifteen, twenty, thirty minutes. Then there are times when I have
hours where I can write. A lot is accomplished that way.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

Effectively developing characters and moving the story along without being
superfluous

All that is necessary in getting my work to the public

And, I wish I had started writing sooner and not deviated from it

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Writing is and has always been my passion

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Don’t be intimidated by the words or the entirety of the story. Sometimes it is easier
to do a story in segments. I always try to keep in mind and I learned from my agent to
just write the story which was good advice

What are you thankful for this year?

So many things; the love of God, wonderful family and friends, good health, having
my book published by a mainstream publishing house and the agent who made it
happen

Five questions about books:

One book you’ve read more than once.

Waiting to Exhale—Terry McMillan

One book you couldn’t put down until you finished.

The Ex Files—Victoria Christopher Murray

One book that made you laugh.

Although a serious story, there was a lot about Gone With The Wind that made me
laugh

One book that made you cry.

Mommy’s Angel—Miasha came close

One book you wish you'd written.

Purposed Driven Life

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

PO Box 7198, Sumter, SC 29150, leigh.mcknight08@gmail.com www.leighmcknightonline.com
O R
Minnie_dix@yahoo.com, www.minniedix.com

FEATURED AUTHOR: Michelle Stimpson

Michelle Stimpson is an author, a speaker, and an educator who received her Bachelor of Science degree from Jarvis Christian College in 1994. She earned a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2002. She has had the pleasure of teaching elementary, middle, and high school as well as training adults.

Michelle Stimpson is an author, a speaker, and an educator who received her Bachelor of Science degree from Jarvis Christian College in 1994. She earned a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2002. She has had the pleasure of teaching elementary, middle, and high school as well as training adults.

Michelle serves in the Creative Tyme Ministry at her home church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, and she is also currently pursing her ministerial license. She ministers to women through her online newsletter: www.womengrowinginchrist.com. Michelle lives near Dallas with her husband, their two teenage children, and one crazy dog.

Michelle tours annually with the Anointed Authors on Tour. She regularly speaks at special events and writing workshops sponsored churches, schools, book clubs and other positive organizations.

Trouble In My Way

It’s all Karis’s mom’s fault.

If she hadn’t snooped into Karis’s diary, she never would have known about Karis’s unauthorized activies. Now, Karis is grounded indefinitely with no modem, no iPOD…and no cell phone. There’s just no way Karis can survive being cut off from the world. Add a “shiesty” potential stepmother, an dangerous relationship with a self-proclaimed bad boy, and the constant pressure to cover her sneaky tracks – the combination makes a perfect recipe for high drama. Will faith in God help Karis get through, or has she pushed grace, and her mother, too far?

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

I hope that reading this book will make the readers think about what it means to live with integrity. Sometimes it is hard to do the right thing, but doing the right thing is always the best thing.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I had to relive some of my teen years in writing this book, so I guess I'd say I had to "re-learn" what it was like to be sixteen and feel like those who love you most (your parents) are trying to make your life miserable. It was a tough time to revisit, but it was also a lot of fun.

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

The hardest part for me is staying focused. Every once in a while, I come across something and thing "Ooh! Wow! I bet it would be fun to do that, too!" But I don't think I'd ever get anything done if I tried a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Right now, I'm learning to do one or two things well and leave the rest to other professionals - graphic designers, media moguls, etc.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

I wish non-writers understood that writing is actually WORK. People sometimes think that because writers are working from home, they're not really "working." But that's not true. It takes discipline to sit down and write!

Our theme this month is Time Management. How do you do to manage your writing time?

I do my best writing at night, and that's somewhat tough because I still have to get up every day and (at least) take my kids to school bright and early in the morning. Many days, I also have workshops and such to conduct. Two things I do to make sure that I don't get too tired are: 1) exercise; 2) take naps.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

I wish I had known more about marketing and staying in touch with readers. I had some really great opportunities with my first novel (Boaz Brown) that I didn't fully understand or take advantage of. Nonetheless, God was faithful to bless me with some really great reading fans who continue to spread the word about that book.

Was there ever a time in your writing career you thought of quitting?

I don't think I think of "quitting" per se, but I frequently think of cutting back of changing my focus a bit - going from adult fiction to strictly young adult fiction or academic writing. I don't think that I'll ever lose the writing bug, however.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Just write. You don't have to like everything you write, but finish SOMETHING. The first novella I ever wrote is still sitting in a drawer (not even five feet from me right now). It never got published, but it showed me that I could actually write a book.

What are you thankful for this year?

I'm thankful for so much favor. Again, the Lord has blessed me with so many opportunities in writing that I couldn't even have imagined. I'm grateful for His favor.

Five questions about books:

One book you’ve read more than once.

Most of the reading I do is non-fiction, centering around Christian living. Those never get old. But as for fiction, I could read Bernice McFadden's "Sugar," a million times and I've read Norma Jarret's "Sunday Brunch" more than once.

One book you couldn’t put down until you finished.

"Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

One book that made you laugh.

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.

One book that made you cry.

Victoria Christopher Murray's "Temptation"

One book you wish you'd written.

I wish I had written J. California Cooper's "In Search of Satisfaction" because I love historical fiction - I'm just too lazy to write it!

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

www.michellestimpson.com - michelle@michellestimpson.com