Selling My Soul Blog Tour

Sherri Lewis’ writing was put on hold while she attended Howard University as an undergraduate, then medical school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. After working almost fifteen years in the medical field, Sherri left her position as a staff physician at a Georgia Department of Corrections’ Women’s prison to pursue writing and ministry full time.

Sherri is co-founder of the Faith-Based Black Fiction Writers of Atlanta with Essence Best-Selling author Tia McCollors. Selling My Soul is the anticipated sequel to Sherri’s debut novel, My Soul Cries Out. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit Sherri online at www.sherrilewis.com.



Tell us about Selling My Soul.

When Trina Michaels returns from an amazing two-year mission trip in Mozambique, she realizes that other than longing to see her mother and her best friend, her heart aches to fly back to the place that now feels more like home than anywhere she’s ever lived. And to the man who’s stolen her heart.

Her dreams of returning to her beloved village are short-lived. Trina soon learns that her mother has been diagnosed with cancer and the cost of treatment is expensive. She’s forced to return to her career in public relations and is assigned a damage control client – the bishop of a mega-church where an associate pastor and deacon were accused of sexually abusing young boys. One of the young boys has grown up to become her best friend’s husband and a popular gospel recording artist. Representing Bishop Walker could cost Trina her most valued friendship, her reputation, and a future with her new love. As she plows deeper into the scandal and the bishop blackmails her to cover the church’s secrets and lies, Trina realizes it could cost her soul.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

This book is actually a sequel to my debut novel, My Soul Cries Out. In the prequel, Trina’s best friend Monica comes home to find her husband, the minister of music in the church, in bed with another man. She discovers that he’s been struggling with his sexual identity ever since he was molested by two deacons in his church as a young boy. The Bishop of the church attempted to cover it up because he built his church on the anointed praise and worship of Kevin, Monica’s husband. The Bishop can’t afford to lose his mega-church status over such a scandal. Readers enjoyed My Soul Cries Out immensely and in every email I got about the book, they asked for a sequel. So Selling My Soul was written at their request and dealt with all the issues they felt needed to be dealt with after the first book. In Selling My Soul, all the pressing questions are answered – what happened to Monica and Kevin? What happened to their best friends? And what happened to the Bishop and those dirty deacons?

Who are your main character(s)?

The main character of the book is Trina Michaels. She was the best friend of the main character of My Soul Cries Out so this is actually her spin-off story. In the prequel, she leaves for Africa for a two year missionary journey after helping Monica deal with her marital drama. Her mother, affectionately known as Moms is also a main character. She’s fighting terminal cancer and Trina’s attempts to get her saved before she dies. And then there’s Trina’s love interest – Gabriel Woods – who she met on the mission field in Africa.

Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?

I really enjoyed writing Moms’ character. She’s feisty and hilarious and deals with her impending death with great strength. I also love Trina’s love interest, Gabe. I love writing strong Godly men in my books and think it’s important to portray black men in a positive light to counteract the way they’re often portrayed in the media. And of course, I loved Trina and her faith, integrity, and tenacity in dealing with everything bit of drama that I threw at her in the story.

Did you have to do quite a bit of research for this novel?

I did a lot of research on missions to weave into the story because I wanted to authentically portray Trina’s experience of re-entry after being on the mission field for two years. I talked to a lot of missionary friends and read books by missionaries to prepare for the book and also for my own ministry – I’ve always dreamed of being a missionary in Africa. Since completing the book, I’ve been to Africa twice and it was all I dreamed of and more.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading Selling My Soul

The underlying theme in Selling My Soul is to trust in God – no matter how dire or severe the circumstances. Trina has to use great faith to get her through all the situations she’s faced with when she returns from Africa. Often Christian can quote scriptures, read the Bible, but when times really get hard, are we able to exercise the faith needed and trust God that everything will work out?

Okay, a not-so-fun question. How important are reviews to you as a writer?

Reviews can be pretty important because it’s good to know how your readers enjoy your book. There are certain reviewers that I trust for their honest opinion about my work. Every once in a while, a bad review comes through and I’ve learned not to pay too much attention to them if they tend to be different from what most reviewers are saying. The funniest bad review I got was from a person criticizing my writing ability. The review was full of grammatical and spelling errors, so of course I didn’t take it too seriously.

About the Book

When Trina Michaels steps off the plane after her two-year missions trip in Africa, she realizes that other than longing to see her mother and her best friend, her heart aches to fly back to the place that now feels more like home than anywhere she’s… ever lived. And to the man who’s stolen her heart.

Her dream of a quick return to Mozambique fades within hours when Trina discovers that her mother has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Trina is forced to go back to her job as a publicist to cover her mother’s health costs.

She’s assigned a damage control client, Bishop Walker, a megachurch pastor accused of covering up a church sex scandal within his church involving the molestation of young boys. Representing him could cost Trina her most valued friendship, the love of her life, and her soul.

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


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Building Colorful Characters

The Literary Bones of a Story, Part 4

Groucho Marx, the Marx brothers, the Three Stooges, Betty Davis, Betty Boop, Evel Knievel, and the list of memorable names goes on and on. If not a fan, it’s likely you’ve at least heard their names and upon mention of those names, can picture in your mind’s eye the “why” of their fame. For, if nothing else, they all reign as “Colorful Characters.”

Memorable characters seize our minds for many reasons but usually stain us through their unique personalities, traits, appearance, antics, or vocal presence. Whether through slapstick humor, the power of penetrating eyes, clever wit, smooth coos, or daring antics, the aforementioned famed characters will track through our memories with their own splash of uniqueness. So, how will readers remember your characters? What long-term reminiscences will attach themselves to your creations?

The simple strategy of pairing various human characteristics with some creative challenges or situations can dress your characters in a different light. Our characters need not be eccentric to be considered colorful and distinctive, and familiar human traits work just as well with some creativity.

For example, if we pair a blind man with the talent of painting exceptional pictures or creating intriguing sculptures, the wonder factor kicks in for our readers and the character will court their hearts in a different way than an ordinary character might.

Now, let’s examine the possibility of a homeless-looking older male with a haggard and unkempt physical appearance wearing layers of dirty and ragged clothing, seen daily pushing a shopping cart full of his belongings through town. Definitely eccentric, yes? Well, what if this person was really well off and the owner of an abandoned estate in one of the best parts of the same town his confused mind has him stumbling through? Changes his persona a bit, right?

But with an ordinary character, unique personal traits or actions can make them more colorful. How about a young, single, female, high-school English teacher who lives alone in a well kept condo. Pretty ordinary, right? Well, what if we threw in a few creative traits such as: she lives with ten white cats and works two four-hour shift jobs because she compulsively has to take a shower after each time she uses the bathroom at home, and she refuses to use a public restroom?

Or, how about the “Tiger Lady” mentioned on several television programs around the country who once was a ravishing beauty that decided she wanted to look like an animal (a tiger) and underwent several plastic surgeries to obtain her new look? With her mission accomplished, to most of us, she now looks hideous. What if we took it a step further and made this character deeply religious, but because of her looks, became shunned by her church and community? What if she were someone who desired to work with small children in the childcare industry, but parents were against it in fear that she’d give their children nightmares? Perhaps her dream job is being a cosmologist, but no one will hire her because of her bold look. As a character, her journey through life and her fight for human/animal rights would make her a colorful character. As you can see, situations can make a character stand out as well.

Take the statuesque, green-eyed, honey-blond model with waist-length tresses, mile-high legs, and womanly curves who flavors the air with a little girl’s twelve-year-old voice. Before she speaks, she’s viewed as exotic—and then something diverse such as the lilt of her voice weaves her into a different category altogether.

Situations can color a group of characters for the roles they all play. For instance, let’s envision the tale of one man living with many wives on a remote compound with, say, sixty children he’s fathered between those wives. No matter how soap-sudsy clean they all look, their behaviors and environmental setup make them colorful creatures. Throw in the scenario that they are all homeschooled and go on to become lawyers, doctors, and other movers and shakers in their surrounding communities, and marry people of many varied but different nationalities dissimilar to their own make them wonder factors for our readers. How will their relationships work out? Do they have strange ways and habits after growing up in a secluded and controlled environment? Have they married outside of their nationality and culture as a form of rebellion against their upbringing? Reading how these characters’ lives unfold differently because of their early beginnings make them colorful characters because the reader is expecting a surprise or abnormal behavior or strange circumstances to eventually evolve.

A writer’s pen draws invisible expectations many ways. One way is through the lineup, or occurrence of events in a character’s life. If a situation causes a character to react differently than the average person, a character is deemed different or unusual.

Every churchgoer loves a preacher who can deliver a powerful and memorable message. But what if we make a well respected and gray temple-haired reverend deliver his best speeches in silk, sleeveless tee shirts coupled with a heavy-roped necklace, lots of wrist bling-bling, a glittering gold tooth, expensive high-top sneakers, and jeans while mellowing his thoughts through street rap? Indeed, a memorable situation and character, don’t you think? Wouldn’t you expect his congregation to be filled with young thugs whose presence would eventually eliminate the general population? The given situation brings about certain expectations to its readers that would signal more controversial circumstances to follow.

Envision two, old, widowed ladies with dyed blue hair and red-painted nails impeccably dressed who have been meeting every Monday for forty years at nine in the morning at the same courthouse just to sit and listen to the civil cases presented. Afterwards, a heavy but friendly discussion with opposing views over the same ordered dish is whispered between the two at a local IHOP.

These are just a few examples of how you can make ordinary people demonstrate unusual characteristics that make them colorful beings or characters. Implementing creative touches in your story’s location, characters’ lifestyle, career choices, or social networks also link your characters to unique and interesting literary fibers.
Thinking of your characters as varied specialty vehicles on display as they drive through interesting towns and locations with a crowd of observers lining the sidewalks will help you fuel their tanks with the gas that will speed them uniquely through the pages of your tale, while parking lasting memories on the minds of your readers.

Writers, my call to action to you this month is to create ordinary characters shadowed with unique physical, mental, or environmental circumstances that take them to another level of survival. Perhaps you could borrow from the presented examples, but I hope these models have sparked your own creativity.

Readers, do any of the aforementioned characters or situations excite your enthusiasm to see them in your next read? Drop me a line and let me know.
Wordsmiths, remember to e-mail me with your creations and I’ll post them here for all to meet and utilize. For your gifting, I’ll post a picture of your latest book and a link to your Web site.

Pens up! to building colorful characters the write way.

Rachel Berry has been gifted by our creator to be many things; on the list of these blessings are daughter, caregiver, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, best friend, aunt, published author & poet, motivational speaker, radio talk show host, mentor, columnist and community leader.

She has been a government employee for 24 years.

Rachel is the founder and president of Black Pearls United INC. (an African American sister-circle) which was founded in 2000.

Berry is also an alumni member of Toastmasters International where she has earned her CTM and has been awarded as Toastmaster of the Year.

Rachel is proudly promoting her books 'From The Heart And Heat Of Me.' and her novel ‘Family Pictures:’ the family saga of two women with too many secrets and the up and down relationships they have with those people they call family.

To arrange speaking engagements e-mail her at admin@blackpearlsunited.org. For book signings please e-mail her at rachelwrites2@yahoo.com. To preview and buy her books please visit her web site at http://www.LuLu.com/RachelBerry & http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/


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Hollywood Deception Red Carpet Tour with Shelia M Goss

Shelia M Goss is the national best-selling author of Hollywood Deception, My Invisible Husband, Roses are thorns, Paige’s Web, Double Platinum and His Invisible Wife and three young adult novels: The Lip Gloss Chronicles series: The Ultimate Test, Splitsville, and Paper Thin. She’s also the recipient of three Shades of Romance Magazine Readers Choice Multi-Cultural Awards and honored as a Literary Diva: The Top 100 Most Admired African American Women in Literature.

Hollywood Deception is Shelia M Goss' ninth book. She's known for writing stories with a twist. Here are a few things readers are saying about Hollywood Deception:

“Hollywood Deception is a THRILLING addition to Ms. Goss’ Women In Hollywood series…a pleasant mixture of romance and mystery…Ms. Goss once AGAIN keeps me turning the pages with another ENTERTAINING, yet fictional glimpse into the fast-paced lifestyle of a celebrity.” ~ Sweet N Sassy Reviewer

“With Hollywood Deception Shelia Goss has done it again. Love, lies and delicious drama! Pick this book up and you won’t be able to put it down. Be ready though - this fun novel is not a passive read. You’ll be yelling at Hailey, relating to her, wanting to slap her and cry with her all at the same time. Hollywood Deception is an all around good read full of scandal, just the way we like it. Well done, Ms. Goss!” ~ Abiola Abrams is an Author, Media Personality, Host of Kiss and Tell Live in NYC, and Kiss & Tell TV. Viewers also know Abiola as the host of BET’s short film show and Miss Picky of VH1’s Tough Love. www.abiolatv.com

Hollywood Deception is not just about the glamorous life of a celebrity but it also deals with the downside of Hollywood fame and fortune. Her editor says it best:
Shelia addresses with understanding and clarity, the serious, and ever-growing crime of stalking (in fact, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, in 2005-2006 3.4 million people in this country reported being stalking victims). Readers will be engaged by her believable and fully developed characters.


Hollywood Deception by Shelia M Goss

Two friends, one woman, and one deranged fan.

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

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

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

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

With fans like this, who needs enemies?

HOLLYWOOD DECEPTION is available in stores or online from any of the online outlets such as Amazon.com, BlackExpressions.com, Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc.

Book Trailer for Hollywood Deception:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLhxtXpvpho

Shelia on the web:
http://www.sheliagoss.com/

www.twitter.com/sheliamgoss

www.facebook.com/sheliagoss

http://www.thelipglosschronicles.com/



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BLOG TOUR: “Chameleon” by JA Adams

JA Adams, author of three psychological suspense novels, uses personal and professional experiences to bring awareness to psychological issues that affect our relationships.

For 30 years, Adams has worked with traumatized victims of violence and crime. Adams’ experience, paired with her writings, allude to healing the spirit and soul of victims.

Adams currently resides outside of Austin, Texas. She continues to write and volunteers with numerous organization bringing awareness to teen dating violence and women issues, as well as, advocating against intimate partner and family violence. Such organizations include the Ortralla Foundation and Recovery Ministry at Gateway Church. Moreover, she regularly speaks and mentors women using her life as proof that one can love again after trauma.

What sparked your interest in writing?

I have always wanted to be a writer. I started writing stories and poetry at the age of seven. Then sometime that year my poetry was published in an anthology of collections of student writings in my school district. It was exciting to see my name in print with my poems just like a real writer.

Your work has a deeper underlying message in regards to domestic violence awareness. Please share your motivation behind presenting this important information through fiction writing.

In my working with victims and survivors, I have discovered that a person is more likely to pick up a fiction book that addresses an issue similar to what they are dealing with than a self-help book. Especially if the victim is still living with or is under the influence of the abuser.

Why do you believe it is important to share these concerns in your work?

In my professional and volunteer work, I encounter a lot of people and teens dealing with these issues. Males and females that abuse others when they are young will continue to abuse throughout their life unless there is intervention. The younger the abuser is when intervention begins, the greater chance of successful intervention. Also, the longer the abuse continues, the worse it gets sometimes ending in death. In addition, the longer the abuser is allowed to get away with abusing others, the bolder and more sadistic/dangerous the abuse they dish out becomes. I want readers to learn through my characters’ mistakes as well as their courage so they may make needed changes for their own well being and/or safety.

How do you keep your books relevant to readers?

I write about human interest issues through fiction that cross age, gender, race, and ethnicity.


Tell us about Chameleon.

When dreams turn into nightmares, spur of the moment decisions test the silent codes of family honor. Diane Darhling, beautiful, scholarly, and heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, finds herself caught in a triangular web of love gone seriously wrong. Two men, Jimmy and Jerrell, whose polarized unrelenting desire to have her is felt to the depths of the soul. One loves unconditionally. The other, a suave psychopath. Reading like a backdrop story from headline news, a twisted plan, forged in pathological and psychotic manipulation, is plotted by the Chameleon.

What made you decide to write Chameleon?

Through writing, I have been able to reach many more individuals than by working for an agency.

What lesson do you want readers to walk away with?

Regardless to how bad it gets, you can lean on your faith to make it through and come out on the other side a whole person. And I hope that my books will invoke discussion about the lines and boundaries surrounding our most intimate relationships.

What’s next?

I have a short story appearing in Coffee Confessions, an anthology releasing in May 2010. I am also working on 2 projects, Pineview’s Secret, a fiction novel that addresses the issue of human trafficking and teenage prostitution and a self-help dating guide for young women entitled Frog or Prince to accompany a workshop I do on teen and college dating violence. And, for the record, I was working on the Frog or Prince project long before Disney launched theirs.

How can readers reach you?

I can be reached via my website www.jaadamsauthor.com or they can post a comment on my Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/fansofjaadams. I also have an author’s profile on SIR Authors at www.sirauthors.com.

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This interview is brought to you by SIR Authors, a book marketing and promotions group organized by Nia Promotions featuring seven authors working together to market and promote their work. To learn more visit www.sirauthors.com.

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Leave your name and email for a chance to win a copy of “Chameleon” by JA Adams.


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My God and Me Blog Tour with LaShawnda Jones

LaShawnda Jones is the publisher and author of Jazzy Media LLC. Her latest publication, My God and Me: Listening, Learning and Growing on My Journey is full of inspiration and testimony of personal growth.

Jazzy Media’s early publications brought local recognition to LaShawnda Jones’ work and requests for speaking engagements poured in. In 2004, she began facilitating body image and self-esteem workshops. Over the years, she has facilitated workshop discussions on the effects of family, friend, media and societal influences on our body image, self-esteem. She combines all that and more in My God and Me as she addresses, explores and strengthens her and her readers’ identity in Christ.

Tell us about My God and Me: Listening, Learning and Growing on My Journey.

My God and Me is a book about relationships. My relationship with God and my relationship with people. There’s a lot of frustration throughout the book because my faith and idealism constantly pushes me to model my people relationships after my relationship with God. It may seem like an impossibility, but we’re instructed to do so, so I continue loving and hoping.

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

I had been blogging on myspace for nearly three years. One day I was looking at my file of blogs on my computer and realized I had more than enough for a book. When I sifted through them I thought I had at least three solid books – self-esteem, spirituality and relationships. The more I sifted through, the more I focused on spirituality and realized everything else contributes to or stems from it.

Who are your main character(s)?

The main characters are God and me. (chuckle) We’re throughout the book! My friendships with Dianna and Jemini are featured throughout and have caused quite a bit of comment. Those relationships refined my walk.

Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?

God is my favorite character. He always took care of me in the situations I write about, even when I thought He wasn’t paying attention to me. He had my back. He keeps me covered. And He grows me in His ways more every day.

Did you have to do quite a bit of research for this book?

Reading the Word. I didn’t read for the book, per se. But all my reading contributed to the book, most definitely. I studied the Bible and read many commentaries and write-ups about various topics.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading My God and Me: Listening, Learning and Growing on My Journey?

I hope they will understand that we are all in the same boat. We’re meant to be a help to one another. The people placed in our lives are important and the relationships should be valued. Nothing is without reason or purpose; God uses everything in our life to get us to where He wants us to be.

Okay, a not-so-fun question. How important are reviews to you as a writer?

Reviews are fine, but I don’t write or speak for reviews. I would rather know how my readers are receiving and using the lessons I write about.

About the Book

Relationships change with the tide of life. When your relationships ebb more than flow, do you find yourself asking, “Were my dying relationships ever real relationships? Are the people who maintain contact, but with whom there is no connection, worth holding on to? Should I expect a person’s presence in my life to equal dependency in my time of need? Does the quality of interaction determine the level of importance?”

These questions and many more flow through the interactions shared in My God and Me: Listening, Learning and Growing on My Journey.


LaShawnda Jones Read an Excerpt



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

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AAMBC Spring Tours w/ Pauline Evans

Pauline R. Evans

Author/Publisher/CEO, Pink Peach Publishing

“Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.” – Oprah Winfrey

Maintaining focus is what led author Pauline R. Evans to create and complete her debut novel, Winter’s Kisses. “I have always wanted to write, be it short poems, short stories, whatever came to my imagination. I knew one day I would have a book and now it has happened.”

“In June 2009, I was standing at my bedroom window, looking out at the flowers and thinking, ‘Lord, will I ever get a job again?’ And then the answer was given to me. My job was there waiting on me; it had been all the time. I only had to claim it. My job was writing, thus the concept which became Winter’s Kisses.”

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Pauline holds an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Technology from Fayetteville Technical Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Paralegal Studies from Campbell University. Additionally, she earned a certificate in Nursing Assistant from Daytona Beach College in 1995.

Self-described as a learner, an achiever, confident and disciplined relater who is passionate for excellence. Pauline now resides in the Atlanta, GA, metro with her husband, Robert, and two daughters, where she is busy working on her second novel, She Never Left, the sequel to Winter’s Kisses.

Winter’s Kisses, is available now on the author’s website and on Amazon.com. Interact with Pauline, read her daily blogs, and get the latest on author appearances and happenings at www.paulineevansonline.org.


Winter’s Kisses

Winter Allison Reeves matured into an elegant gorgeous swan effortlessly sweep men off their feet. Aaron Dean Newton was the epitome of good looks, the walking dream for women and an object of envy for men.

Keith Pendleton, Winter’s high school sweetheart crossed paths with her and, he’s certain he has reconnected with the woman of his dreams. Megan Iris- a red-headed divorced RN fueled with a fierce determination has her sights on becoming the next Mrs. Aaron Newton.

Can their marriage survive their tumultuous affairs or will the temptation to leave become too strong to overcome? Will Winter’s best friends Amy stick by her and help her realize her true love? One thing is certain, Winter, Aaron, Keith and Megan are all playing with fire, and, without question, someone is bound to end up getting burned.

Excerpt from Winter Kisses

Aaron and I wanted kids but were unsuccessful. We spent thousands of dollars on doctors and fertility drugs, intense hours of lovemaking sessions each week but no change. We tried for years until we gave up. Our efforts only resulted in more frustration. I became somewhat regretful and angry. Over the years, despite this problem, we worked through it as we realized it was creating further breakdown in our marriage. Well, we tried to, at least.

At one point, I encouraged Aaron to adopt but he was totally against any kid moving into our home unless we were the biological parents. Once I cried, fussed and pleaded to the point where he became less firm and decided we could try adopting a baby boy. I was ecstatic! We visited an agency, fulfilled all the requirements and even set up a nursery in our home. A few months later, we received a call that we were going to be proud parents of a baby boy. The birth mom was sixteen, seven months pregnant and her parents advised her to give up the baby so he could have a better life than she could give him. The eighteen year old boy that impregnated her had moved away out of fear that her father, who sent threats, would harm him for deflowering his precious daughter.

I remember counting down the days to the birth. We chose to have an open adoption where we maintained an ongoing relationship with the mom-to-be, which made the wait free from anxiety and worry. The closer we got to the birth date, the more I noticed a tension in Aaron. I would ask him repeatedly what was wrong and he gave me the very same answer with a tinge of impatience. According to him, nothing is wrong! I sat, and would look at him, wondering why he was lying about his feelings. In the end, Aaron couldn’t allow himself to go through with the adoption. He stated he didn’t think he would be able to love this little innocent baby boy like his own. Needless to say, I was devastated. I withdrew and became self absorbed, miserable and sad for a long time. I resented Aaron to the point where I wasn’t drawn to love him anymore. He tried over time, many a times, to rekindle the flame we once shared but I grew cold towards him from the hurt I fostered deep within from not being able to conceive or adopt.

As the arguments ensue and become more frequent, we were no longer in accord with each other to the point we had to seek marriage counseling. Soon after, we decided to quit marriage counseling when we realized it had no cathartic effect. We just weren’t getting anywhere. The process tore us apart and we spoke less to each other. Sometimes I’d notice Aaron sitting and staring into space, and from the far away expression on his face I knew he was thinking of warmer and sunnier days.

I recall once I asked Aaron if he would reconsider adoption again and he flew off the handle.

“I know that would make you happy Winter,” he replied icily, “but my answer remains the same. I don’t want to adopt someone else’s kid! I’d rather have our own.” The conversation became harsh as we argued back and forth for most of the evening. I tried reasoning with him. However, it was pointless as he stood there staring bitterly at me while he yelled.

“Maybe if we stop arguing, and start spending more time together we might just get pregnant with our own child.” He continued angrily.

“I guess you are right,” I mumbled as I looked at him agonizingly. And with that, he kissed me on my forehead and went in the family room to watch the game. “Good night Aaron.” I spoke with an unreadable expression on my face, “I am going to bed.” He turned around but did not answer. For better or worst! I thought.


What made you get into writing?

When I was a little girl, I would go under the blanket with a flashlight and read when everyone would be asleep. I used to travel to places and see people through the eyes of the characters in those books. I started writing poems and short stories but never thought of actually writing a book.

What made you want to write a novel called, Winter’s Kisses?

One morning in June of 2009, I stood in my bedroom after my morning’s devotion and reflected intensely. I was contemplating on what purpose life has for me, after being laid off from my job. I remember I asked the Lord what’s next.

Emotions were running wildly, and yet, with all control, I decided to sit by my laptop. After I reminisced for a few hours, I started typing. After a while, my typing became words that reflected on two important virtues that mattered to me greatly: love and relationships.

At first, it was just 106 pages of something. Having realized the coherence of my thoughts, I called it progress and named it a story after I realized it wasn’t really trash. After weeks of writing, reviewing, re-writing and editing, with the help of great and true friends, it resulted in the composition of my first novel, Winter’s Kisses.


Do you have any other novels coming out soon?

I am currently working on the sequel to Winter’s Kisses. It called She Never Left.

I have only a chapter to go and would like to publish it maybe in September 2010.


When you’re not writing, what are you up to?

I am back in school for Clinical Research and this course entails writing numerous papers and lots of research. Also I am busy being a mommy to my two lovely daughter and holding down the fort while hubby is working over in Iraq. Also, I am busy trying to get Winter’s Kisses in the hands of avid readers.

What has been the most rewarding part of being a published author?

When someone comes up to me and says stuff like: I read your book and it was such a great book I couldn’t put it down until I was finished. Or how much they could identify with a character or how reading the book gave them hope.

What advice would you give to up and coming authors?

Learn everything you can about the industry and read all you can read about how to publish your book yourself. Also try and meet people who will teach you stuff they know and the mistakes they made and try not to make the same ones. Be careful who they ask for advice because from experience, there are a few times I was given the wrong advice.

Web link: http://www.paulineevansonline.org/

email: evansp534@aol.com
Book can be purchased at: http://www.paulineevansonline.com/

Amazon.com
http://www.powell.com/

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FEATURED AUTHOR: Philip Yaffe

Philip Yaffe is an unlikely writing and speaking coach. When in school, his passion was mathematics; however when he went to university (UCLA), he fell into journalism. Applying mathematical logic to writing seemed to work. He rapidly rose through the ranks to become editor-in-chief of the Daily Bruin, UCLA's daily student newspaper. On graduation in 1965, he joined the Peace Corps and went to Tanzania to teach math, physics, and journalism.

In 1968 he became a reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal. He has also been a senior account executive with the advertising/PR agency, and marketing communication director for the European subsidiaries of two major U.S. companies with European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where he has lived since 1974.

He now runs workshops on effective writing and public speaking for persons who use English as a second or third language. He says that dealing with people who don't take the language in which they write and speak for granted has given him important insights into the fundamentals of these vital disciplines, which form the basis of his book. This makes The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional quite different from anything else currently available.

How did you start out your writing career?

It's a strange story, fully detailed in the book. But in a nutshell, I am a scientist by temperament and education. Writing never interested me very much. However, in last year in high school for whom I had great respect suggested that when I went to university I take a beginning course in journalism to learn how to simplify my then complex, gothic writing style. I did so and discovered that writing clearly and concisely was much more of a challenge than the complex, abstruse writing I had been doing. I took up the challenge by joining the student newspaper (UCLA Daily Bruin). In my senior year I became editor-in-chief. I graduated with a degree in mathematics, but a somewhat different outlook on life than before I had joined the newspaper.

Have you had a "Wow" moment since you have been an author? What made it a "Wow" moment for you?

As a professional writer, I have long argued that the basic principles of good writing are few and easy to understand, but applying them is hard work. Producing a good piece of writing always requires at least two drafts, and usually three, four, or more. However, there are exceptions.

For me, the exception occurred the day John F. Kennedy died. I sat down at my typewriter and just started writing. When I finished, I hardly changed a word. I felt as if I had been typing in a trance, as if someone else had actually been doing the work.

The article won a number of awards, which I was pleased to receive. However, in all honesty, I cannot take credit for it. Now, nearly 50 years later, I still feel as if someone else wrote it and I was simply the vessel used to strike the keys.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

In my 40+ years of experience, I have been appalled by how many otherwise intelligent people (students, business executives, academics, researchers, etc.) are unable to convincing express themselves, either orally, in writing, or both. They are not to blame because the small handful of fundamental principles of effective writing and effective speaking are seldom taught. Instead, they are buried in an avalanche of tips and techniques. I want to clearly highlight this handful of key principles, so that these often prescriptive tips and techniques can be more effectively applied.

What’s playing on your CD while you’re writing?

Nothing. When I write, I write. Music would be a distraction.

If you had the opportunity to talk with three writers, who would you choose and why?
Mark Twain, George Orwell, and Voltaire. These writers, among others, were uniquely talented at saying complex things simply, and investing apparently simple statements with meanings way beyond their words. I very much admire this kind of writing and try to emulate it.

What movie had the greatest impact on you as a kid? Why?

The movie that had the greatest impact on me as a kid was Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma, because it stimulated my interest in the art of musical comedy, which has been a passion of mine ever since. This was in 1957. Even 50 years ago I was saying that Richard Rogers is destined to be considered one of the premier composers of the 20th century. People laughed at me because musical comedy was not considered to be a serious art form. Today, they are no longer laughing.

If you could visit any place in the world where would you travel to?

I have always wanted to visit Japan because the culture fascinates me. In general, however, I am much more attracted by Nature. My favorite place in all the world is Bryce Canyon, Utah, which I have seen seven times and still can't believe that it truly exists. It must be the most indescribable place on earth.

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

There are no short-cuts. Good writing is hard work. It is easy to read, it was hard to write. The compensation is, when you have produced a truly good text, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction that would be hard to match in any other occupation.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry? The worst?

I don't know how to answer this question because I have never been given much advice about the publishing industry other than, "Be prepared to be disappointed." Writing a book is often the easy part. Getting it published, promoted and distributed can be a major challenge.

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

Keep in mind that writing is a craft, not an art. Obviously some people do it much better than others, but everyone can learn to do it reasonably well.

Don't try to be a writer if you don't truly enjoy it. It is sometimes painful—and always hard work. To quote two authors:

There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. --Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter. --James Michener

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I love learning languages. Not necessarily to use them, but to be educated by them. Different languages do things in different ways. Each time you come across an unexpectedly different way of doing something, it broadens your horizons. Living in Brussels, I am fluent in French and have a working knowledge of Dutch, German, Italian, and Spanish. My first foreign language was Swahili, which I learned as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania (East Africa).

Our theme for this month is GETTING THE CALL. Did you receive the call from the editor? What was the experience like?

No, I had to struggle for over two years to get my book published. In obedience to Murphy's Law, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. However I believe the book adds something original and important to helping people write and speak better, so I persisted. I now commend it to others to decide if it was worth of the effort.

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

I have produced numerous articles on writing and public speaking that explain the ideas in The Gettysburg Approach in rather more detail, with more extensive examples. If The Gettysburg Approach succeeds, I think it would be useful to publish these articles as a kind of companion piece under the tentative title The Gettysburg Collection.

How can readers get in contact with you?

I would be happy to hear from anyone who would care to write to me. My two email addresses are phil.yaffe@yahoo.com,phil.yaffe@gmail.com

The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking almost like a Professional

Effective writing and speaking are critical for all students and professionals in this challenging and competitive world. Professional-level writing and speaking depend on only a handful of easy-to-understand principles.

The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional goes straight to the foundations, defines these principles and shows how to apply them.

Because the principles are few and, when explained, are almost self-evident, the theoretical section of the book is quite short. "Fundamentals of Good Writing" runs only 55 pages; the follow-up on "Oral Presentations: Giving Voice to Your Words" runs only 43 pages. The remainder of its 275 pages are devoted largely to examples and simple exercises.

This exceptional guide will help anyone sharpen their skills and rapidly learn to write and speak clearly, concisely, and persuasively.

“Quite simply, this book is terrific.” Mary Jae Kleckner, Ph.D & Professor of Writing

“You’ve done an admirable job of dealing with the extremely difficult problem of teaching business people how to communicate intelligibly, let alone effectively.” William Blundell, former Wall Street Journal writer, editor, and Teacher of Writing

Leave your name and email for a chance to win a copy of The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional.

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SORMAG's INSPIRATION - April: Donna Hill

Donna Hill is the Essence bestselling author of Divas, Inc., In My Bedroom and If I Could. She is a public relations associate for the Queens Borough Public Library and lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her website at http://www.donnahill.com/.


Longing and Lies
by Donna Hill


With her sensual looks and free-spirited ways, Ashley Temple is the perfect agent for The Ladies Cartel, a secret crime-fighting organization. But her latest assignment—breaking up an illegal baby trafficking ring—is more than a job. It's personal. The stakes go sky-high when she teams up with FBI operative Elliot Morgan, a man so deep under cover he's off the radar.

Life in the field is nothing compared to the adrenaline rush of passion and pleasure Elliot feels with Ashley. And when they pose as a happily married couple to stake out a suspicious adoption center, he knows he's in deeper than he's ever been. He can't risk falling for her—the danger's too great. But how can Elliot let Ashley go, when this sweet, sultry lady takes him beyond the point of no return?

Thank you Donna for helping inspire SORMAG's creation.

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FEATURED AUTHOR: H.D. Campbell

EDITOR’s Note:

Writing is a strange business, but every now and then you find someone who gets why you sit up nights writing in your notebook or laptop. H.D. was the first person I met in St. Louis, who had the desire of writing as I did. We met while in junior college and our writing adventure began. We started a literary group together and dreamed New York Bestselling dreams.

H.D. moved away and we lost touch, but to my surprise we found each other again on the internet. I began to watch his career grow and I’m so proud of all he has accomplished.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend, H.D. Campbell.


H.D. Campbell has over twenty-five years of writing experience with credits in freelance newspaper reporting, personal fiction and poetry. Starting his career in St. Louis, H.D. Campbell’s first published piece was at ten. From there, he wrote fiction and nonfiction pieces personally and for different outlets while helping other writer get where they need to go. In his college days, he co-founded The St. Louis Creative Black Writer’s Guild with LaShaunda Hoffman. The group, which lasted five years, was an organization where writers networked and inspired each other through guest speakers, trips to various bookstores and various critique sessions. Before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1999, he started working with new, unpublished writers giving assistance to marketing their work. In 2000, H.D. Campbell published the book How to Lose a Black Woman. Then he published Late Murder @ 10 in 2005. Finally, in 2010, he published two books The Sergeant Wiseguy Chronicles and Garth: From the Heart of A Virtual Demon. More information about all of these books can be found on his website www.hdcampbell3.net

His website is built around marketing not only his books but also providing the latest in writing new and interviews with people in and around the industry. Besides a lot of writing and spending time with family, he also produces an Internet show on YouTube and his site called The Author’s Corner. It’s show with news, interview, and other use tidbits for authors and inspiration for those who aspire to write. The show debuted August 4, 2009 and will expand into a bi-weekly series May 2010.

How did you start out your writing career?

I started my writing career when I was ten years old. I discovered it by accident when I wrote a black history poem and turned it in to my teacher. (For those who remember Ebony Jr.) she had it published there. From there, I started realizing that I did like writing stories so by 14 I was writing short adventure stories (especially those featuring my currently published character Sergeant Wiseguy)

What was your most difficult scene to write?

For all four of my books, the conclusions are the most difficult scenes to write. I know how they’re going to end but you have to be careful on how many elements you can add to the conclusions.

Have you had a "Wow" moment since you have been an author? What made it a "Wow" moment for you?

A “wow” moment for me is during my first book signing ever. First the mayor showed up and gave me a declaration making it H.D. Campbell day that day. In addition I met someone who’s read all of my books to date and love them. By then two of my books have been published and it was the start of something that would be today. I’m very proud of my reader fan base and looking for it to continue to grow.

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

With every book, I usually up the ante on the marketing and this time with my new show The Author’s Corner which I use to market myself and other authors. One of my biggest goals with the show is to put my book on a new marketing plane. I’m looking in the next year for my show to put bring more awareness to my book and get it into other markets and genres.

What’s playing on your CD while you’re writing?

Often anything old school R&B & Hip Hop but currently it has to be anything by Angie Stone or Jill Scott. I love all genres of music which is constantly playing on my Ipod and Itunes.

If you had the opportunity to talk with three writers, who would you choose and why?

Number one would have to be Terri McMillan. I’ve always been a huge fan and used to be one of my secret crushes before I got married. She is a talent with so much to give to us. Number two would have to be James Patterson. As a fellow mystery writer, we’re both character oriented like the Cross books Woman’s Murder Club series. I’ve been writing books about ordinary people with extraordinary lives and adventures since the beginning. Finally, there’s Tom Clancy. He writes books closer to my genre of espionage/adventure thrillers. They are fast paced and offer a more real world, technological approach to the spy novel.

What movie had the greatest impact on you as a kid? Why?

I’m sorry but it’s a cross between two movies for two different movies. The first movie was Higher Learning directed by John Singleton. John Singleton’s a director who directs movies about individual personalities who come together to form bonds and overcome conflict. Of all Singleton movies, I like Higher Learning the best because it was in a college setting. My other movie is Citizen Kane. It’s a movie about journalism and tells the tale of the state of the newspaper industry today.

If you could be on a Reality TV show, which one would it be and why?

As much as I love Reality TV, I don’t think I can be on any of them. I can’t sing, I don’t want to go into the jungle, never liked fighting over a woman even if I was single. You know what I’d take that back, I’d do the Apprentice but we need a reality show for writers and authors.

If you could visit any place in the world where would you travel to?

I would love to take a tour of the entire African Continent.

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

I have to only mention one thing? Wow, but okay. One thing I don’t get about non-writers is their stereotypes of the writing/publishing industry. There are people who don’t understand that it takes a daily grind of marketing in order to get your work out there. One of my biggest complaints from individuals are the perils of family or friend support. They believe that either it takes a lot of money (which it doesn’t) to be a writer. People also believe that it takes a lot of resources and time which it doesn’t. I started writing with notebooks, graduated to typewriter, then eventually the PC. There is more than one way to get your work out there.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry?

The best advice I’ve gotten was to take your time and don’t just take the first offer on the table. There are authors out there who take the first offer on the table and they regret the experience. The worst? I can’t recall any bad advice because I try to make it a point to ignore anything that would be negative to my writing career.

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

I want all those aspiring writers to write and gain as much knowledge as you can about the writing industry. The research is what gave me the advantage. One don’t I have is to never give up on your dreams. I’ve seen so many writers who came up with me since high school and so far only me and another friend (LaShaunda Hoffman) are still immersed in the literary world.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

I am a news & political junkie; I collect comic books; am a hopeless romantic; likes all music by Luther Vandross, Jill Scott, and Angie Stone; loves old movies; and old school hip hop.

Our theme for this month is Resources On The Net. What are your favorite resources on the net.

http://www.writersmarket.com/; http://www.writersdigest.com/; http://www.aaambc.com/

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

Sure my next book is the sequel to the Sergeant Wiseguy Chronicles. In the sequel, terrorists recreate the bubonic plague and unleash it upon the East Coast. The other details are top secret but know that you will get even more action in this one than the first novel and you learn more about our main character Sergeant Wiseguy.

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

Readers can contact me at http://www.hdcampbell3.net/. There you can learn more about me, my show The Author’s Corner, and take advantage of sales & discounts. For those individuals with questions, comments and concerns may contact me at hd_campbellproductions@yahoo.com. To catch me more quickly just look for H.D. Campbell on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.


Late Murder @ 10-Mystery/Thriler

Mark Alexander, an ex-investigative reporter (turned broadcast engineer for a St. Louis television station) witnesses the on-air murder of a hated news anchor by a mysterious assassin. When evidence points to the co-anchor Laura Skaggs and her survivalist fiancee, they are soon arrested for the crime. Convinced of her innocence, Mark Alexander employs his old investigative reporter tactics and launches his own investigation. He elects the help of his own partner, Laquita Davners, from the St. Louis Post to help. They find the anchor had personal problems both within and and outside (including both inside and outside the station (including mob ties) As Mark Alexander gets closer, the truth gets closer, and the more dangerous things become. The case allows Mark to regain the spirit he lost when he left investigative reporting five years ago. Mark fights to unravel the mystery, but not before opening the floodgates of controversy surrounding the murdered news anchor.


How to Lose a Black Woman-Christian Romance

Bruce Williams, a St. Louis teacher, searches for love by using nontraditional methods, a telephone dating service. Through an uncomfortable search, he eventually finds his true love but an argument and a wrong decision afterwards causes a break-up. This book is a look at one of the aspects of modern relationships. Filled with original poetry and prayers, it personifies how love should be handled. The first in a series of these books, How to Lose a Black Woman will empower as well as entertain. For those who are unhappy with their current relationship it may evaluate what’s going wrong. The book also shows how God should play a part in modern relationships today. It would eliminate a lot of cheating, unwanted pregnancies, and mistrust. It’s not for everyone nor is it targeted for everyone. However, if you’re looking for a good story about one aspect of the human spirit, this is your book!


Garth: From the Heart of A Virtual Demon

Mark Alexander returns in this thrilling story as he employs his investigative skills to track down a woman hating serial killer. In addition to the dangerous assignment he has the task to training new partner with issues of her own. He learns he must overcome his issues before he can move on with tracking down the smart and elusive killer before the body count rises. Can Mark and his new parnter stop the elusive killer?




The Sergeant Wiseguy Chronicles

In August 1991, the Soviet Union coup and the fall of Communism are underway. During the chaos, a terrorist group steals a long-range nuclear warhead, using the coup as a cover. The terrorist group, headed by a rogue KGB agent named Joe Pituskin consists of agents and soldiers looking to give the world a new order through terrorism and an iron fist. The group smuggles the warhead into Paris under some private sewer property beneath the Eiffel Tower.

Ten years later, enter: Sergeant Wiseguy. He’s an African-American ex-strategy specialist for the Blue Light military counter-terrorist unit recently who’s been recently discharged only to be picked up by The Meadowlark Group. It’s a private government organization that acts as a three-ring circus: government funded scientific research, foreign relations work, and counter-terrorism. He was recruited to be head of the agency’s terrorism investigation and extraction team.

What makes Sergeant Wiseguy unique is explained in his code name. His name is so for two reasons. 1) It’s because he’s one of the world’s top strategy specialist, capable of making the wisest decisions under pressure; 2) Because of his snappy, smart, sarcastic mouth, even when the bad guys have the advantage. He’s normally his most sarcastic when the bad guys have the advantage.

Sergeant Wiseguy’s ability to be unique gives him a great advantage over his enemies because he’s unpredictable. This unpredictability allows him to be two steps ahead of his enemies but it also gets him in more trouble than he realizes at times. Beneath all the sarcasm and planning, he works by one simple rule when he’s out in the field. When you’re in a tough situation, learn to think your way out.

His first mission takes him to Paris to find the nuclear warhead where he meets up with an ex-girlfriend (who’s currently an investigator for a special unit called the Paris Underground) whom he saw die years ago. That’s opens a can of worms and hinders the investigation in the beginning, but the two get past the confusion. They eventually agree to work together in finding the terrorists before they use the warhead and the two rekindle their relationship in the process. They rekindle their relationship and learn new details about each other during their mission.

The mission involves the murder of five undercover Paris Underground agents who discovered the missing warhead. One agent escaped but not without sustaining life-threatening bullet wounds to his back and shoulder putting him in a coma. He managed to tell the female Paris Underground agent about the warhead before he fell unconscious.

Sergeant Wiseguy narrates his missions from a top-secret journal he keeps in a safe in his apartment. What makes his stories interesting is that he takes on these serious missions, but maintains his sarcastic demeanor for the missions he goes on. It’s an espionage novel with a sense of humor and an ordinary Joe who just loves his job. There’s also strong characterization with a good supporting cast, which is only matched with a good plot. Sergeant Wiseguy is a good novel for those who likes espionage/suspense but would like a sense of humor with it.

This is the first in a series of the Sergeant Wiseguy series.



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Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour

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

Yesterday’s Promise is the first book of a series entitled, Second Chance of Love. Whitaker House plans to release the next two books in October 2010 and January 2011.

Visit her online at http://www.vanessamiller.com/.


Yesterday’s Promise (Whitaker House – March 2010).

Melinda Johnson has always felt called to ministry. So, when her father, Bishop Langston Johnson, decides to step down after thirty years of leadership at Omega Christian Center, it seems only natural for her to take his place. But Bishop Johnson feels led by a God who has other things in mind, and to succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks-a man who is opposed to female pastors, not to mention the fact that he is Melinda’s ex-fiancé.

Feeling defeated, Melinda nevertheless maintains her position as the church’s Missions and Community Outreach Director. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring-and rekindles long-suppressed attraction, which grows only stronger when Melinda develops a relationship with Steven’s precious daughter, Brianna, who’s still struggling with the death of her mother.

Can Steven and Melinda set aside past pains, forgive each other, and learn to love again? Or will their opposing positions regarding women preachers keep them forever at odds?

Vanessa's video for the tour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdGqt101g-A

Her book trailer is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5bYJD9BzCc



WOMEN IN THE MINISTRY - Minister Patricia Williams-Murphy

I would like to dedicate this blog to a woman I’ve admired for years. Minister Patricia Williams-Murphy. She is a minister at my church, Star Bethel Full Gospel Church.

We met at church before she received her calling. I always admired her commitment to the church and her willingness to minister to others. I was not surprised that she was called into the ministry because she had the spirit of teaching.

I have learned a lot from Min. Pat from our long talks to her sermons. One thing I like about her sermons is that she always breaks the Word down for everyone to understand, even the children in the church. She’s a visual minister who uses visual aids for her sermon. I believe this keeps the members attention because they don’t know what to expect when she steps up to the podium.

I would like to thank Min. Pat for sharing her gift from God and not running away when he asked her to be one of his teachers. I know she has many more things to share with others and I look forward to seeing her grow into the Pastor God has chosen her to be.



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WIN THIS BOOK: Dutch II: Angel's Revenge

Dutch II: Angel's Revenge
by Teri Woods


Pub. Date: March 2010
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Format: Paperback, 304pp
Sales Rank: 5,273
ISBN-13: 9780446551557
ISBN: 0446551554
Edition Description: Reissue


HE IS THE MASTER OF THE GAME. HE'S BUILT THE ULTIMATE EMPIRE. BUT HIS STORY IS ONLY BEGINNING. NOW NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR TERI WOODS BRINGS YOU THE SECOND IN THE SENSATIONAL DUTCH TRILOGY, WHERE ONE WOMAN WILL RULE DUTCH'S STREETS . . . OR DESTROY THEM.

DUTCH II: ANGEL'S REVENGE She is the most merciless of his lieutenants, with style and skills that even the hardest hustlers fear . . . and none survive. And with Dutch gone, Angel is fueled by a shattering vendetta and methodically eliminating every successor, wannabe, and mobster trying to lead Dutch's madly profitable organization.


Teri Woods was born in Delare and later moved to Philadelphia, PA where she worked as a legal secretary/paralegal for eight years in a Philadelphia law firm. She began writing True to the Game in 1993 and began to submit her work to publishers. After being turned down, the book sat dormant in a closet for two years. In 1998, she began selling handmade copies of the book out of the trunk of her car. With the success of the handmade books, she started her own publishing and production company, Meow Meow Productions.

Teri Woods lives in New Jersey with her three children. She is hard at work on her next novel.

Leave your name and email address for a chance to win a copy of Dutch II

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FEATURED AUTHOR: Zuri Day

Zuri Day is the romance writing, alter-ego persona of author Lutishia Lovely. Hooked on romance since sneaking to read her older sister’s Harlequin collection, Lutishia wrote feature articles for a holistic magazine and penned several mainstream novels before entering this genre of her heart. Along with titillating the sensual senses, her “Zuri” persona loves to stimulate provocative thought on timely, relevant topics that will benefit her community of readers. When not writing, she enjoys the beauty of southern California, where she lives, along with vegetarian cuisine and international travel.


How did you start out your writing career?

My career was born through my alter-ego, Lutishia Lovely. Her editor asked if she could write romance novels. She said yes, and created my persona – a free-spirited, daydreamin’ sistah from the Caribbean who’s all about one love, mon!

What was your most difficult scene to write?

The storyline in my first novel, Lies Lovers Tell, was probably the most challenging. Everybody’s lying, and people aren’t who they say they are. I used a chart to keep it all straight!

Have you had a "Wow" moment since you have been an author? What made it a "Wow" moment for you?

Getting the deal to write romance. I grew up reading them, and to now write them is a dream come true!

What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

My first goal is always to entertain, to tell a page-turning, engaging story, and because it’s romance - to capture the love and passion between the hero and heroine. In Lessons From A Younger Lover, it was nice to write about Gwen, the “older” woman, having choices when it came to dating, and nice to portray Ransom, her twenty-six year old love interest, as a responsible, focused, single father who defies the stereotypes of men his age.

What’s playing on your CD while you’re writing?

Either classical music or low-key jazz.

If you had the opportunity to talk with three writers, who would you choose and why?

A hard question, LaShaunda! I admire so many writers. In the genre of romance, Beverly Jenkins’s historical romances are the best! That sistah makes me want to jump into a time before there was electricity and running water! I’d love to know her process and motivation. An afternoon with Nora Roberts would be lovely. Like her, I want most if not all of my books to become movies. And I would have loved to spend time with Barbara Cartland, the undeniable queen of modern romance. She wrote over 700 novels, sold a billion copies, and lived to almost 100 years old. I could have learned a thing or three from her! :)

What movie had the greatest impact on you as a kid? Why?

The Wizard Of Oz, and it’s still among my favorites. It inspired me to dream, and believe that if one really wanted what they wished for, it could happen.

If you could be on a Reality TV show, which one would it be and why?

Hands down, The Amazing Race! I love to travel, and to do so and win a million would be the ultimate adventure!

If you could visit any place in the world where would you travel to?

If I could pack my bags and leave tonight, it would be to the Cap Maison resort in St. Lucia.

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

That it is harder than it looks.

What was the best advice you’d ever gotten about the publishing industry?

Follow the rules that work for you, break the ones that don’t.

The worst? To change my “voice”.

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

Do: study your craft!

Don’t: assume that because you can tell a good story that you can write a great book. It’s harder than it looks!

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Keep this alter-ego persona totally separate from her creator, Lutishia. Either Lutishia shows up or Zuri shows up. They can’t appear together, for obvious reasons!

Our theme for this month is Resources On The Net. What are your favorite resources on the net.

Google is my number one favorite. Search engines have literally put a world of information at our fingertips.

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

What Love Tastes Like is the story of Tiffany Matthews, a recent culinary graduate, who receives a one-month internship to cook with a world-renowned Italian chef. While in Rome, she has a whirlwind romance with Nick Rollins, a debonair businessman. Things heat up when she returns to Los Angeles and – against her better judgment - takes a job in his five-star hotel. What happens next is simply delicious! It comes out in September.

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

I love to hear from readers and every email is answered. My website is: ZuriDay.com and email address is ZuriDay@ymail.com

Thanks for this opportunity to share and connect, LaShaunda. Much heart to the readers. One love!

Lessons From A Younger Lover

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

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



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AAMBC Spring Virtual Tours with Niobia Bryant

1 writer with
3 Publishers
15+ books
4 Genres
Celebrates 10 years of being an author with 2 award nominations

and 3 new book releases in 2010

Message from a Mistress is your 15th novel since you started your career as a published author in 2000. What was the inspiration behind this book and its storyline of a woman sending a text message to alert her friends of her affair with one of their husbands?

My first book that was published ten years ago was a romance and I enjoyed--and still enjoy--telling these really great stories about the love a black woman and black man have for each other. But I always wanted to tell more drama driven fictional stories where there was no guarantee of a happy ending. Where people dealt with real meaty and complex issues in their lives. So I had to one day cross over into the commercial or mainstream fiction genre.

Message from a Mistress is my third mainstream work and it is a look at the dynamics of both marriage and friendship and how they can be affected by secrets, lies and betrayals. My main inspiration was not just to deliver drama and scandal but to really travel the road many marriages take that leads to that ultimate betrayal and then to examine the effects of it. More than my previous mainstreams novels, I truly believe that Message from a Mistress is the one that most captures the reason why I wanted to write more than just romance fiction.

Message from a Mistress was loosely inspired by the 1940's film A Letter to Three Wives, and your Hoodwives series was inspired by the television show Desperate Housewives on ABC… it seems that you find inspiration in TV and film to influence your writing. Are you inspired to tell stories that share views of what women of color aka "sistahs" would do in particular scenarios?

Definitely. Although the vast majority of my books are completely original I have been influenced by my own desire to see “you know what would a sistah do in this same situation.”

For the Hoodwives series, my co-author and I were like “Desperate? Puh-leeze. Living in a beautiful subdivision in a great neighborhood? They want desperate? How about the wives in the projects? We’ll show you desperation.” The idea for the series was born and then we came up with four original storylines for the wives.

I loved, loved, loved the movie “A Letter to Three Wives”. I enjoyed the concept of three wives learning that their mutual friend has run off with one of their husbands and then have the entire day to ponder which one of them has been betrayed. It’s really clever and it intrigued on so many levels. So I wanted to modernize the story and give it some new perspectives-- like adding the wives having secrets of their own. I really just wanted to see where I could go with it. Again the general premise is the same but the actual stories for each character are original and I had a lot of fun bringing those characters to life in Message from a Mistress.

You write in 4 genres… and are signed to 3 different publishing houses... very impressive…how did that happen for you?

I am definitely ambitious and very focused on living my dreams. The same way that I write in different genres, I read different genres. Black, white, whatever. From non-fiction by Cornel West to street-lit by Donald Goines. Sci-fi, young adult fiction, romance, commercial fiction, literary fiction and those like Tina McElroy Ansa and Gloria Naylor who have found a nice blend of commercial and literary fiction--I read it all. I wanted to try my hand at a lot of it. People always say to write what you enjoy. Well, I enjoy a lot of different things and it transitioned over into my writing.

I started out in romance because I did my research and discovered it was easier to get published without agent in this particular genre. Those books did well and I eventual got the agent. I had these different stories in me that I wanted in print so I came up with proposals over the years and my agent got to work making the deals happen.

This year you are nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best African American Romance for your 9th full length romance novel "Make You Mine" as well as the Best Steamy Romance in the 2010 Emma Award presented by Romance Slam Jam. Congratulations on those accolades. As a national bestselling author, how important are these award nominations to you?

The award nominations are great. They are testament that the hard work you put into a book is appreciated and respected. It’s a great way, besides having a great sell through percentage, to know that you’re getting it done; that people enjoy what you’re doing. I’ve been up for a lot of awards in the past ten years and I’ve won some, but I’m always just as excited as if it was my very first nomination because I have great passion and love for this writing game.

For someone who is celebrating her 10-year anniversary in book publishing and has over 15 novels of your own, what is your greatest achievement to date and what would you like to accomplish in the next 10 years?

I think the fact that I once dreamed of getting published and having just one book deal and to now have four is a great achievement for me. I’m a girl from a single-parent household from Newark, NJ who use to sit on the back of the public bus and tell stories to my friends and anyone who would listen. I used to write short stories in my notebook. I used to say I will have a book published before I turn a certain age. I did it. But I have even more dreams. I am a national bestseller which means I have hit some bestseller lists across the country but I definitely want to hit the New York Times or USA Today. Also, like any other author I would like to see one of my books turned into a major movie or television show. So in a nutshell, New York Times and a movie deal. Point blank, those two things are definitely on my to-do list.

For those who have never read one of your books please suggest a book in each one of the categories that you write in for them to begin reading--

Let’s see for one of my “sexy, funny and oh so real” romances, I suggest my GIVE ME FEVER. It comes out in May of this year and its book 3 in a series centered on the Strong family.

For the teen fiction of course I recommend my debut book, FABULOUS. I am writing under the name Simone Bryant. It’s about a clique at a private school for children of celebrities.

For urban fiction, my solo book as Meesha Mink debut in January 2011 so I suggest starting with the book that kicked off the series, DESPERATE HOODWIVES.

For mainstream, I suggest MESSAGE FROM A MISTRESS. It really is a smart, well-written, emotional, drama-filled roller coaster ride in the pages of the book.
What writers inspire you and why?

I am most inspired by authors Tina McElroy Ansa and Gloria Naylor. Tina's book, The Hand I Fan With and Gloria's novel, Mama Day are two of my all time favorite works of fiction. What I love about them is the blend of literary and commercial fiction. They both write very smart, entertaining, character driven books that remained with me so many years after first reading them. As a writer I want to be able to create that kind of lasting connection between my books and readers.

As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to Message of a Mistress getting out to the public?

The internet has been such a fun way of promoting the release of Message from a Mistress and I'm sure will prove itself vital in the upcoming sales success as well. I have my Twitter pages, I have my Facebooks pages, MySpace and my personal blog www.niobiabryant.com; I use them all to keep my fans updated and to invite new ones. Tweetdeck is a must for me. I simply love the way it works.

As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Message of a Mistress?

Since I write in multiple genres it helps me stay organized by creating a synopsis and an outline for each of my books. I write a full synopsis of the entire story and the first chapter which I usually have to submit to the publisher. Afterward I begin writing with the use of an outline chapter breakdown. Message from a Mistress took a few months not including editing.

What's next for Niobia Bryant?

I am working on promoting my three 2010 book releases, Fabulous my first teen fiction/young adult novel on Kimani Tru, Message from a Mistress on Dafina/Kensington and in May I will release Give Me Fever on Dafina. I'm doing my first virtual book tour starting March 1st. Readers can keep up with the itinerary on my blog and by following me on Twitter and Facebook.

After receiving the text message from Jessa Bell-- Aria, Renee and Jamie decide to head to Jessa's home to confront her and discover yet another surprise

The taxi slowed at the glass-enclosed security booth and Aria lowered the window, knowing they would need to identify themselves to get inside thier subdivision. Sure enough, Lucky, the potbelly, red-faced security guard, walked back to the rear of the taxi. He stuck his head inside. "Hello ladies, he greeted them warmly.
"Lucky, have you seen Ms. Bell yet? Aria asked. His face was instantly confused. "Ms. Bell?" Well, remember she moved today ---?

"She moved," all three women said in unision with plenty of emphasis, obviously shocked as hell. "You ladies being such good friends, I assumed you all knew she was moving today."

Renee pocked the cork on the Patron again.

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

Message from a Mistress

Will 160 characters lead to the end of someone’s marriage?

By: NIOBIA BRYANT

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

(March 2010) National bestselling author Niobia Bryant releases her seventeeth novel, Message from a Mistress which is loosely based on the 1940's movie A Letter to Three Wives.

Jaime Hall, Renee Clinton, and Aria Livewell all reside with their spouses in the affluent gated community, Richmond Hills, in New Jersey. The ladies are all best friends with their Richmond Hill neighbor, Jessa Bell–a sexy and single socialite. Trouble is Jessa Bell has just sent them all a text message taunting that she has run away with one of their husbands. That message opens the door to each of the woman’s unspoken insecurities in their marriage as each recalls incidents that hint that their husband is the one. And with the husbands away—and unreachable-- on a chartered fishing boat all day and Jessa not answering her phone, they have all day to wonder…and to worry about scandalous secrets of their own.

Throughout the book–which takes place in one day–Jessa Bell also recalls her steamy relationship with her unidentified lover. Everything about their explicit romps are revealed from the day she first seduced him up until the day he agreed to leave his wife–her friend–for her.

BOOK TRAILER---

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

About the Author--

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

Communicate with Niobia Bryant

TWITTER @infiniteink

FACEBOOK--Niobia Bryant Meesha Mink

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

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