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EDC Creations, The Sankofa Literary Society and The Black Authors Network are proud to announce the launch of the  2014-2015  "Storytellers Book Tour and Holiday Gift Campaign," bringing readers and authors together to help improve literacy.  You can join the #StorytellersBookTour campaign too, go here!   Please share the Storytellers Book Tour flyer with your friends too:  https://www.smore.com/9yzf  

Each new year, we encourage readers to purchase books to give as gifts 365 days a year.  Listed below are just a few of our book suggestions. Each week we will bring many more! The books are available in our bookstore and in bookstores near you! 

Let's all agree to "Give the Gift of Knowledge" and help to strengthen our future generations by sharing our wonderful literary legacy!  We have selected several hundred books for your library, check them out at our bookstore, go here.  Please consider share this page and the featured books with your network!


Ella Curry, President of EDC Creations
Black Pearls Magazine Online-Founder
Black Authors Network Radio-Founder
Social Media Strategist - Internet Publicist - Branding Coach

BLACK PAIN: WE'RE DYING AND WE'RE HURTING
Written by Terrie M. Williams

The senseless murder of another unarmed Black man has once again ripped open the wounds of a nation. Treated as if we are simultaneously invisible while highly conspicuous, ignored when we are in need and profiled when we are simply proceeding. The attack on the lives of Black men like Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Rodney King, Sean Bell, Abner Louima and Oscar Grant serves as a reminder that Black lives in America are not valued. These not so uncommon instances of police extremism often shatter the trust between law enforcement and the people they are meant to protect. 

It is Black Pain that is simmering under the surface of this allegedly color blind and post-racist country, it is Black Pain that inspires protests for justice, and it is Black Pain that police in Ferguson are attempting to detain and mask. Treating our fellow Americans as anything less than human, undermines the principles we fought for as a nation during the civil rights era.

We've seen this over and over again, where police brutality, directed primarily toward Black men, often renders the community, collectively and individually, into an extreme state of shock...it effects our men, our women and our children. According to Dr. Dawn M. Porter, a Board Certified Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist, the trauma that can result from these repeated experiences can lend itself to the development of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which all too often goes unnamed and untreated. An inability to deal with the stress of witnessing blatant injustice of this magnitude, can cause people to act out of unresolved trauma and erupt in rage and anger often in response to a complete sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Whether you witnessed the murder of Michael Brown, saw the sketches of his bullet riddled body or listened to the circumstances surrounding his death (his body was left in the streets for 4 hours and then shuttled away in an SUV-an ambulance was never called), we have all been deeply scarred by the unnecessary death of this young man and others like him.

The extraordinary events taken place in the past week have re-opened many wounds and has raised a lot of questions. Are we valued in our own communities? What do we do and where do we go with the pain we are experiencing? How do we begin to heal as a people, as a community, and finally as a nation from such trauma?

The reality is, it is impossible to experience a trauma of this nature and go about our daily lives as if we didn't just witness and experience the pain of watching the death of another unarmed brother go thus far unpunished. As you begin to deal with your reaction to this tragedy, use the strategies I provided two years ago in EBONY.com when Trayvon Martin was killed.

Seek Help:  Consider reaching out to a professional counselor or therapist to help you process what you feel. There is no shame in getting help. I find that therapy is the gift that keeps on giving. It helps me to clarify my thoughts and process heartbreaking situations like this. Counseling can be a necessary lifeline. We cannot be or breathe properly if we don't release the unresolved pain, wounds, scars and trauma of our childhoods. We cannot be all that God has called us to be. The trauma of racism is accompanied by post-traumatic stress disorder for many and a great, hidden sense of pain for most.

Redefine "Strength":  We often confuse being "strong" with being silent. True strength lies in knowing when to ask for help, when to let the tears flow, when you are overwhelmed. The death of Michael Brown is one that has taken a great toll on our collective psyches... no time for silence. Be strong enough to be proactive in healing your heart as you work to seek justice. 

Shake a Hand, Make a Friend: Make eye contact with someone passing by, smile and say "hello"... you may be the first person who made such a gesture towards them today. Many of us are walking around in need of love, support and communion with our fellow man and tragedies make that even more critical.

Fight the Power:  Channel your rage and anguish over the verdict effectively and get involved with local/national efforts to fight for justice for Michael Brown. Participating in rallies/protests will allow you to connect with others who are feeling the same way as you, but don't stop there. If you aren't already, get politically engaged! Hold politicians accountable and help your friends/family do the same. 

Say "I Love You":  Tomorrow is never promised and there are grieving family members who will never have the chance to put arms around their beloved son again. In the midst of our anguish over the loss of a young man most of us never met, we must remember to show love to the people in our lives right now, while we can.

I encourage everyone to read my book, Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting, to fully understand ourselves as a community.

STAY STRONG!

The Scroll
Inspiration from America's Most Revered Spiritual Leaders 
by Parrish Smith 

Life-Changing Inspiration. Unwavering Support. THE SCROLL is a true celebration of our male leaders! 


“If you listen, other people will help you understand your calling in life and acknowledge your destiny. But it is important to listen. God speaks through other people. God uses people to help us identify ourselves.” —Bishop T.D. Jakes
Scrolls have always been considered sacred, filled with prophecy and direction. Realizing that today s spiritual leaders fill a similar role, filmmaker Parrish Smith created the award-winning documentary series The Scroll, featuring modern-day prophets revealing more of themselves, their journeys, and their invaluable insights than ever before. Now, Parrish Smith draws on the words of America s most beloved spiritual leaders to create a guide full of contemporary wisdom that will uplift and encourage you through life s unexpected challenges.

Finding our life's purpose. Creating lasting relationships. Surviving tragedy. Releasing self-destructive thoughts. These are just some of the trials faced and joyously overcome in these heartfelt accounts that are as healing as they are unforgettable. Featuring illustrative Bible verses, related parables, and transformative advice, The Scroll is a timely resource filled with the faith and inspiration that will lead you to life's greatest rewards.

Featuring:   Bishop T.D. Jakes * Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Jr. * Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III * Rev. Bernice A. King * Rev. Al Sharpton, Jr. * Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. * Bishop George C. Searight * Dr. Marvin L. Sapp * Dr. Jamal H. Bryant * Bishop Noel Jones * Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. * Dr. Bill Winston * Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer * Rev. Wess Morgan * Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie * Rev. Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr. * Dr. R.A. Vernon * Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. * Rev. John K. Jenkins, Sr. * Dr. Alyn E. Waller * Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. * Dr. Larry L. Macon, Sr. * Dr. Perry Simmons, Jr. * Rev. Corey B. Brooks, Sr. and  * Rev. Stanley Dumornay

CHAPTER 1  

FAITH

Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. 
—MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8–9

Doubt. Uncertainty. Suspicion. These are all feelings that can infiltrate our thoughts, causing us to think the worst about a situation or individual. However, faith is the light that keeps us going through the storm, through the hardship, believing that all will turn out for the best.

We need faith throughout our lives. When a stranger enters our lives, we need faith to trust that person to be who he or she claims to be, to a certain extent anyway. When an illness such as cancer or dementia enters our lives, we need faith to believe we can beat the odds and live long and productive lives.

In this chapter, you will hear different accounts about how faith was imperative to help overcome tragedy, fight injustice, achieve goals, enhance self-awareness, battle addiction, and fight the odds.

A Promise
Bishop T. D. Jakes

I think the more you learn about life, the more you recognize that you don't know. Much like the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. l think the beginning of wisdom is recognizing that you don't know everything.

PREACHING ABOUT THE ableness of God while his house's lights and water were turned off was a trying season for Bishop Jakes, who was married with two children. His car had also been repossessed, so he was forced to take the bus uptown to the power company, hoping they would restore his power. The representative he spoke with was condescending, almost as if she was trying to hold this great power over him. The lady belittled and berated him, telling Bishop Jakes he was wasting his time on his appeal. Humiliation consumed him until tears streamed down his face. He left the building, and after he had walked several blocks in total frustration, the Lord spoke the sweetest words to Bishop Jakes, saying, "I will not suffer thy foot to be moved."

God knew that Bishop Jakes was a young father and husband. At that time, he had lost his union job working for a car-manufacturing plant, and he had visions of being homeless and sleeping in a cardboard box. His church had a few people, but his salary was not enough to sustain a family. He recalls that God did not fix his situation right away, but God did not let him fall, either. Thus, Bishop Jakes learned how to live suspended, neither successful nor destroyed. He was suspended on the edge of a cliff, sustained by nothing but a promise, but sometimes a promise was all he needed to hang on. Over time the promise produced, but he learned how to hear God's voice when he was hurting, and he learned that God is faithful, even when we are fearful.

Mustard Seed Faith:  Overcoming obstacles in a time of crisis and staying calm enough to hear God's words are easier than they sound. However, many of us have faced challenges and seasons of hardships. In an episode of Oprah's Lifeclass, Oprah Winfrey spoke about facing obstacles and the little bit of faith needed to pull you through.

Oprah's grandmother raised her in the church. As a young girl, every Sunday like clockwork, she would sit in the second row, taking it all in. Listening to Bible stories, she would hear that through God all things are possible. In particular she remembers hearing the story of Jesus teaching that if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains, making anything possible. It wasn't until years later, as an adult, when actually holding a mustard seed in her hand and seeing its minuscule size, that she truly understood the lesson. Moving forward, Oprah realized that as long as she possessed the faith of a mustard seed, she would be able to live the quality of life she manifested and could overcome obstacles.

Build Faith:  Having strong faith should be important in your life. Faith is the one weapon that can get you through just about any situation, no matter how tough it may seem. Faith affects all aspects of our lives, and once it is developed, it will make us better people. Following are four ways to build faith in your life.

BELIEVE. Faith is belief. As a believer in God, you have to acknowledge that God is the source of your faith.

PATIENCE. Change is not always instant, happening overnight. You must have tolerance and patience to weather the storm and stay the course. True faith requires patience.

STUDY. Read the Bible. Attend Bible study, retreats, conferences, and meetings. Study and comprehend the scripture, so you can apply it in your life. Realize that His word is true; it is not a lie.

PRAYER. Speak to God. Develop communication, adopting a personal relationship with God. Reflect on His word, allowing it to transform you.

Lastly, do not be hesitant to seek counsel with friends, relatives, ministers, and those who you feel have a deep faith. Ask them questions about their faith: What makes it grow? Are they ever doubtful? If so, how do they overcome doubt, allowing their faith to take charge of their lives? Many people have walked in your shoes and still face similar bouts with faith and belief. Conversation is healthy.

Reflection:  Sometimes we feel we need pope-like faith to overcome obstacles. However, a tiny bit of faith mixed with work on our end can move mountains.  He said to them, Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

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Click the covers to hear authors read from the book or to view excerpts. 
 

A Vision of Angels: The Battle Begins 
by Alexandra Lane (2nd Edition)

What happens when you’re born into a world of darkness where there are no choices? Where the undercurrents of evil are so strong you can’t fight your way out. What do you do?

Minty, a slave, was born into a world that offered no solace, no happiness but more than anything, no hope. But on a cold, bitter night, Minty will be forced into making one of the hardest decisions of her life; to leave everyone that she knows and loves behind. Her decision will bring forth an evil that will stop at nothing to keep her from reaching her destiny. For it knows, it sees what Minty does not.

Jack, a loner with a dark past, and a few men will pursue her in the dark swamps of Maryland, along with Red, a sinister gray-eyed man who is the perfect embodiment of evil.

Unaware of what’s waiting for him at Little Canyon, Jack will be faced with unbelievable events that will cast him into some of the most frightening experiences of his life. A weary search, wrought with unexplainable happenings, will begin to take its toll. Fateful choices will be made. Choices that will bring about an unimaginable outcome.


This story is a looking glass into the world of angels and the incredible feats they performed for the sake of these two lives. To understand why, you will have to read the story. This is about hope in the face of hopelessness and redemption when one feels there is none.


Chapter Excerpt: The Beginning

Minty has just suffered a horrific beating by one of the slave masters who believed she and a few other slaves were trying to escape. She's lying on the ground unconscious because the pain was unconscionable. Zacharius, one of the young male slaves picks her up and takes her to her mother, Old Rit. This is a pivotal moment in the book. 
(Readers, please keep in mind these are slaves, so they will speak differently.)


Zacharias quickly carried Minty to her mother’s quarters and stood before the door, kicking it and yelling for Old Rit to let him in. Old Rit opened the door with concern etched in her face. When she saw her daughter’s flaccid body draped in the young man’s arms, her eyes immediately reflected the fear that rose up inside her.

“She ain’t dead! She jus’ passed out,” said Zacharias.

Old Rit looked up at the young man to make sure she heard him correctly.

“She ain’t dead,” he repeated.

“Take her and lay her in dah bed.”

Old Rit scrambled around the room looking for salve and clean rags.

Zacharias gently laid Minty on the bed and then turned toward Old Rit with the front of his shirt soaked with her blood.

“I’s kin fetch some water from dah well fo’ ya, but den I’s gotta go and work dah fields befo’ old man

Brodess finds out where I is.”

Then Zacharias grabbed a small tin bucket on the floor and ran out the door.

As many times as Old Rit had seen her daughter like this, it never got any easier, for tears would still well up in her eyes, but this was the worst she had seen.

Almost immediately, Zacharias returned with the bucket, and with water spilling everywhere, he fretfully placed it on the floor in front of Old Rit then quickly left out running toward the lumber yard.

As she sat cleaning Minty’s cuts, she began to think about her daughter’s plight and what her end would be on this earth. Minty thought she had a right to humanity and to freedom, and because of that very thought, she was subjected to many beatings. She knew Minty’s stubborn nature, along with her illness, would either get her killed or sold, for she was as rebellious as a wild stallion.

However, some of the younger slaves didn’t agree with her ways. They said she was a twenty-seven-year old married woman, and she should know better. They never quite understood why she just wouldn’t humble herself and simply follow the master’s rules as they did.

After regaining consciousness, Minty realized she was lying on her mother’s bed, naked and bleeding. With her jaws tight and her face stern, she secretly promised herself and God that Ben would never beat her again.

“Ouch!” Minty yelled as her mother sat by her side spreading salve on the open wounds. But the constant writhing from the sting of the herbal ointments was making it difficult for Old Rit to apply.

“Now you’s gotta try and lie still why I’s fix yo wounds ‘cause you’s got quite a few of dem dis time,” she said.

“It hurts, Momma!”

“I’s know, baby, but you’s gotta go through dah pain to get to dah healin’.” Then silence filled the room as Old Rit worked on her daughter’s body like a skilled doctor.

“I’s had enough, Momma,” Minty suddenly said, breaking the silence. “I’s can’t take no mo. Two days ago, Zacharias told me ’bout a white man, a abolishnist that was helpin’ slaves scape ta dah North. So ’bout three months ago, I’s went to ’im, and he gave me a map showin’ me how ta get ta dah river where’s a boat would be waitin’ that would take me up north, close ta a place called a safe house,” she explained.

“Is that what got ya like dis? Minty, ba—”

“No, Momma!” Minty shouted. “I’s got no choice.”

“Minty, you’s can’t trust ‘im, baby. You’s don’t know nuttin’ ’bout ’im.”

“If I stay, I’s gonna die.” Minty paused. “I’s gonna die, Momma. And I don’t wanna die. Not like dis… not like dis.” Then Minty broke down and began to cry.

Old Rit tearfully looked at her daughter then reached down to embrace her, but she quickly let her go when Minty screamed out from the painful touch.

Then she leaned back and looked at Minty’s body. She saw the deep bloody cuts, her bruised and busted lip, and the welt marks that were grotesquely displayed on her body. She realized that her daughter survived, once again, but the day would come when she would not. She gently rubbed Minty’s head and began to slowly shake her head in agreement.

Old Rit could see that Minty’s once vibrant spirit was slowly fading, not only from the beatings but from the struggle to be free. She knew that it was out of her hands and that it was now in God’s.

Then suddenly the door to Old Rit’s quarters violently flew open. Minty’s husband, John, burst into the room. Minty raised her head. Then she strained a little harder, looking into his eyes. Her face quickly changed.

John, a tall, average-built man, stood in the doorway breathing heavily with his chest visibly heaving up and down. He had run all the way from town when he heard the news of Minty’s savage beating. Seeing her battered body and her blood-soaked clothes lying on the floor next to the bed was more than he could take. He was neither happy nor thrilled at the fact that Minty was still alive. Instead, he was furious.

“I’s told you you’d get a beatin’ if you didn’t learn ta shut yo mouth!” he said. “Sneakin’ round here, always talkin’ bout escapin’. Where’s ya gonna go? You’s need ta stop thinkin’ you’s better than everyone else. Thinkin’ you’s kin say or do whateva you’s want. Have ya forgot that you’s a slave?” Then he slammed his fist against the door, making a small dent. “Well, let me help ya! You’s a slave, dammit!”

John abruptly turned to leave out the small quarters, but he turned back around and pointed his calloused finger at Minty.

“You’s best start thinkin’ ’bout how you’s gonna change yo ways befo’ you get both o’ us kilt.”

Then he turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. He slammed it so hard that it rebounded off the framed doorway and swung back open.

“Minty, he’ll neva understand how you’s feel. He be a free man, bone that way. You’s runnin’ away and gettin’ yo freedom means him losin’ his wife and bein’ alone. Ya see how he acts when you’s talk ta him ’bout bein’ free. You’s kin see it in his eyes. He don’t want ya ta leave, and he’ll do whateva he can ta stop it. Even said he’ll tell ole man Brodess if you’s kept talkin’ bout it. You knows dis ta be true.”

Minty slowly laid her head back down and blankly stared at the open doorway. Something was changing…something in her.

Then unexpectedly, in the midst of staggering summer heat, the whisper of a cool breeze blew in through the open doorway and encircled Minty’s face and body. The breeze felt as if God was blowing his divine breath upon her battered and bruised body. So Minty closed her eyes and welcomed the comfort that the cool breeze bestowed upon her stinging wounds.

Old Rit looked at her daughter and smiled as she gently rubbed her head, for as the old folk would say, God was whispering to her soul. 

( Continued... )

© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Alexandra Lane. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. 


Purchase A Vision of Angels: The Battle Begins
Historical Fiction, Suspense, Inspirational, and Christian Fiction

Barnes and Noble.com 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-vision-of-angels-alexandra-lane/1108912950  

ShoozyQ and the AB Crew in Bully on the Playground 
by Michelle Spady (Author) and  Bradford Spady (Illustrator)

Written by Michelle Morgan Spady and illustrated by her son, Bradford O. Spady, ‘ShoozyQ and the AB Crew in Bully on the Playground’ is an unusual and creative new book about a topic on everyone’s minds: bullying, and what to do about it. 

Sometimes, the road to success is not a simple one – and no one knows that truism better than Michelle Morgan Spady. A former educator, Spady has endured hardships beyond many people’s wildest nightmares – including the death of her firstborn son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, an event that devastated her, and changed her life forever. It was only many years later that the light began to shine once more – when Spady and her husband welcomed their son, the man she now calls “a visual storyteller”.

With the formation of their company, ‘B’Artful’, dedicated to promoting emerging artists and writers and the release of their second book together, the duo are on a roll. Michelle Spady and Bradford O. Spady co-produced the anti-bullying tale, titled: ‘ShoozyQ and the AB Crew in Bully on the Playground’. 

Written in poem format, the book uses vibrant illustrations, and a good dose of positivity to encourage children to look at bullying from another perspective. ShoozyQ and her “crew” persuade a schoolyard bully to change his behavior without being mean and abusive themselves – something that is often overlooked in books with an anti-bullying message.

“I’ve witnessed many children being bullied over the years,” says Michelle Spady. “Normally, when we discuss this with children, we don’t emphasize how vital being positive is – ShoozyQ doesn’t need to be cruel or ‘tough’ to stop the bully. She also doesn’t just ignore it and hope it will stop. Instead, she uses her powers of persuasion to intercede and change the bully’s mind about his actions. It’s a compelling message of love, gentleness and compassion.”


ShoozyQ and the AB Crew in Bully on the playground 

Sometimes you can find a bully on the playground. This story about a bully on the playground is written in poem format. It is about a little girl named ShoozyQ and a group of her friends who call themselves the "AB Crew" which stands for anti-bully. They are against bullying and there is one on their playground who has been harassing them and their friends. One day ShoozyQ and her AB Crew walk to the playground to confront the bully. You'll be surprised at the tools that they use to talk to the bully. There is a surprise ending. In the back of the book are activities for parents and teachers to use to talk with students about bullying; vocabulary; role plays, and discussion questions. The colorful drawings and simple, effective language all tie together to make ShoozyQ an exciting read for kids, and a learning tool for parents and teachers.

“We include activities so that educators can get the discussions going with children,” says Michelle Spady. “It’s important to keep the ball rolling after the story is over, and really get to the root of what the kids have learned from ShoozyQ’s experiences.”

After the successful release of their first book, ‘An Artist and His Obsession’, Michelle Spady and Bradford O. Spady are hard at work on their company ‘B’Artful’ and on further projects. “Working with my son is just a joy. He is 100% an artist and a visionary. He’s an inspiration to me, and others and he shows himself through his work.”

Continuing: “Currently, my son and I are working on a comic book and the story is about bullying on another level - hazing at a college. The comic will be titled, ‘7 Days to 2 Tell’. The students will make a moral judgment as to whether they should tell what they saw. Obviously, this subject is close to our hearts and it’s something we feel passionate about communicating to others. If we preached kindness more often, I think it would change the lives of our children.” 

Growing into Greatness with God
7 Paths to Greatness for Our Sons & Daughters
by Janet Autherine 



"Every child matters. Every child was born with greatness!" -- Janet Autherine

Author, attorney Janet Autherine, is on a mission to empower children to see themselves as unique and amazing—already blessed with what they need to succeed in life and to achieve their dreams.

On a daily basis, children are bullied into feeling “less than.” “The truth is every child matters. Every child is unique. Every child has been created with greatness.” says Janet Autherine, Author of Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths of Greatness for our Sons and Daughters.

Kids love superheroes. But, how many kids believe that they themselves are heroes? With all the mixed messages kids are bombarded by on a daily basis—about looks, intelligence, athletic ability, and more—it can be hard for them to believe that they are special.

The book, Growing into Greatness with God teaches kids to recognize the greatness they were born with and to nourish the love, faith, courage, leadership, happiness, gratitude, and confidence planted within them as they learn to become their best selves. Referencing biblical heroes, and through actionable wisdom, offering practical ways to “grow into greatness,” this easy-to-read guide ignites hope in young readers and sheds light on their path to a bright future.

Parents are excited to find a book that will inspire and empower their children. Moms are saying the following: “I use Growing Into Greatness With God for quiet reading moment with my children. There are steps at the end of each section that you and your children can discuss and reflect upon. Growing Into Greatness With God provides the applicable tools by which children can live by. It reminds children that they are children of God and destined for greatness. Great book!”


Purchase Growing Into Greatness with God: Seven Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters
by Janet Autherine.  Amazon Link:  http://amzn.com/0991200004 

Endangered: A Novel 
by Jean Love Cush 

A MOTHER’S WORST FEAR...

             A SON ACCUSED OF MURDER...

                                      A SYSTEM RIDDLED WITH BIAS...


An innocent black teenager is accused of murder in this provocative and compassionate thriller that skillfully probes issues of race, class, crime, and injustice and offers a searing portrait of modern America.


From the time her son, Malik, could walk, Janae Williams taught him that the best way to stay alive and out of trouble with the law was to cooperate. Terrified for his safety, she warned him, “raise your hands high, keep your mouth shut, and do whatever they say,” if the police ever stopped him. But when a wave of murders hits Philadelphia and fifteen-year-old Malik is arrested, Janae’s fear is compounded by guilt and doubt—would Malik have escaped jail if he’d run?

Unable to pay for legal fees, Janae reluctantly allows Roger Whitford, a white human rights attorney, to represent Malik. With the help of an ambitious private attorney named Calvin Moore, Roger is determined to challenge the entire criminal justice system and expose its inherent bias against all black men. Armed with two decades of research, the attorneys make the unprecedented argument that black males should be protected under the law as an endangered species. This controversial case starts a media blitz that results in a firestorm of debate on race, prison and politics in America.


CHAPTER ONE

BEFORE THE SOUND OF THE SIRENS . . .


Four boys were hanging out on Fortieth Street. They had skipped school because they wanted to extend the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. They were dressed alike in blue jeans, leather jackets, and sneakers as if they were part of the same team. Except, one wore a green wool hat low on his head to protect his ears from the frigid cold.

The wind blew Malik Williams’s hoodie off his head, and he quickly snatched the covering back on. Eric Richardson’s numb hands were stuffed in his pants pocket. He drew his neck deeper into his leather jacket, wishing he had worn a scarf.

“Dude, give me some of your chips,” Eric said.

“I only have a little bit left,” D’Andre responded, flicking the outside of the foil bag with his gloved fingers.

“Then give me half of that.”

D’Andre extended the bag to Eric, then quickly tilted it to his own mouth and downed the rest of the crumbled potato chips.

Malik laughed. “Sucker! He played you.”

Eric shoved his hand, empty, back into his pants pocket. Embarrassed, he teased, “Who got played earlier today?”

Malik twisted his lips into a frown. “Man, you weren’t even there. What are you talking about?”

“Oh, snap!” D’Andre instigated, “Tell us again. Tell us what said to Sean G.”

Feeling himself, Malik puffed out his chest. “I was like hell no!”

Suddenly, there was the sound of police sirens. The noise was getting closer, clearly heading toward the young boys. Louder and louder. The sound of fifty cats screaming. Malik could feel the building vibration of the noise through the soles of his sneakers. His heart began to beat faster.

The potato chip bag fell to the ground as red and blue lights flashed brightly against the dimming sky.

Eric tugged on his friend Malik’s arm, but Malik was an immoveable force. His mother’s words, which rang in his head, would not allow him to go along and escape with the others. For me, Malik, do what they say. He could see her warm smile in his mind and knew there was no way he was going to let her down. Eric tried to pull him again before running away at full speed, knowing the police were there to harm them, not help.

Malik spun around in a slow circle, a delayed reaction to his friends scrambling like ants to get behind closed doors. Before Malik could turn around completely, three Philly police cars came to a screeching halt in front of him, blowing up dis- carded fast-food wrappers, cigarette butts and mangled plastic bottles. Drivers’ and passengers’ doors swung open. Five officers exploded out of the cars with their guns drawn.

“Hands up! Hands up!” a short, white, balding man in uni- form ordered. The other four followed after him in V formation like geese migrating south.

Heavy, hot breath gushed from the lead officer’s mouth. His gun was pointed at Malik’s head. Four more barrels were directed at his chest.

“I didn’t do nothing,” Malik blurted as his hands went straight up. A lump formed in his throat, making swallowing almost impossible.

“Shut the fuck up,” the lead officer demanded. “Do you have a gun? Do you have a weapon?”

The policeman, with the name RHINEHOLD in all black capital letters engraved on a small bronze-colored rectangle on his chest, took wide steps toward Malik. He positioned the gun inches away from the young man’s head. Malik could see into the dark emptiness of the barrel.

“No! No!” He pressed his eyes shut.

Using his free hand, Officer Rhinehold reached up for Malik’s arm and yanked it toward his back, forcing the boy to flip over and crash headfirst to the ground. The officer’s booted foot immediately pressed hard into his back.

Blood spilled from a deep tear in Malik’s skin just above his right cheek, as pain reverberated through his body. It was impossible to tell if the source of the pain was the boot in his back, the unnatural twist and crack his body made as he was flipped to the ground, or from when his face bounced off the cold concrete like a deflated basketball.

He tasted blood. He was afraid to spit it out, not sure if the officer would take it as a sign of disrespect. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat and suppressed his need to gag.

“I’m sick of yous punk asses running around here like a band of animals,” Officer Rhinehold said, frothing at the mouth. “You’re going straight to hell, where you belong.”

The officer bent over Malik and patted him down, from his splayed-out arms to his feet. He kicked Malik in the side of his rib cage, and the boy instinctively curled into the fetal position.

“Flat on the ground!” the officer fumed, kicking the boy again. Rhinehold then cuffed Malik and snatched him up by the hoodie that was hanging out of his leather jacket. He dumped him into the caged backseat of his cruiser.

( Continued... )

© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Jean Love Cush. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.

Purchase Endangered: A Novel by Jean Love Cush
Fiction; Thriller; Probes issues of race, class, crime, and injustice 

Intimate Conversation with Kimberla Lawson Roby 

New York Times Bestselling Author Kimberla Lawson Roby has published 20 novels and she has sold more than 2,000,000 copies of her novels, and they have frequented numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Emerge Magazine, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, and The Austin Chronicle to name a few.

Kimberla is a 2013 NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, the recipient of the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 Author of the Year – Female award presented by the African-American Literary Award Show in New York, the recipient of the 2014 Literary Excellence Award from Black Pearls Magazine, the recipient of the 2014 AAMBC Award for Female Author of the Year, the recipient of the Blackboard Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2001 for CASTING THE FIRST STONE, the recipient of the 1998 First-Time Author Award from Chicago’s Black History Month Book Fair and Conference, and in 2001, Kimberla was inducted into the Rock Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame (Rockford, IL).

Each of Kimberla’s novels deal with very real issues, including corruption within the church, drug addiction, gambling addiction, infidelity, social status, single motherhood, infertility, sibling rivalry and jealousy, domestic violence, sexual abuse, mental illness, care-giving of a parent, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, sexual harassment, and overweight issues to name a few.

Kimberla resides in Illinois with her husband, Will. Her 21st title, A CHRISTMAS PRAYER will release on October 28, 2014.


BPM: Share with us your personal journey into publishing. Was this a fun time in your life?
Writing was not a lifelong dream of mine, however, back in April 1995 I sat down and began writing my debut novel, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. It took me about seven months to complete, and I then began querying literary agents in search for representation. I was rejected by all of them. Finally, I submitted query letters directly to editors at publishing houses and received rejection letters from them as well. This is when my husband suggested that I start my own company to self-publish my book, and I did. My mom kept telling me not to give up also. As it turned out, I learned a wealth of important and very helpful information about the business of publishing, and I sold just over 10,000 copies within the first 6 months of publication. This was truly a fun and exciting time in my life.


BPM: How did you get to be where you are in your life today? Who or what motivated you?
My mother and my maternal grandmother were two of the kindest and wisest women I have ever known, and they began instilling a certain level of Christian and family values and wisdom in me from the time I was a small girl. Even after all the rejections, my mom told me I shouldn’t give up (I miss her tremendously), and my husband continues to be my biggest encourager and supporter as well.


BPM: Who does your body of literary work speak to? Do you consider authors as role models?
I believe my literary work speaks to everyone in one way or another. I write about real-life social issues that can and do affect all human beings. Corruption within the church, infidelity, domestic violence, drug addiction, gambling addiction, adult sibling rivalry, care-giving of a terminally-ill parent, childhood sexual abuse, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, social status, overweight issues, and the list goes on. There is also always some level of redemption and forgiveness in every single book I write. I don't consider myself to be a role model per se, but if someone does in fact view me in that manner, my prayer is that I am able to represent myself well, particularly to young people.


BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work? Is this book availableon Nook and Kindle?
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER centers on Alexis Fletcher, who sadly, hasn't had a merry Christmas in five years—not since her mother passed away. Every December, she remembers the joy that her mother brought to everyone during the holiday season and feels the pain of her absence. This is even more so now that she and her sister are barely speaking, and her future mother-in-law would do anything—anything at all—to stop her son, Chase, from marrying Alexis. 
Yes, it is available in all digital formats.


BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special? 
Alexis is kind, compassionate and very intelligent, yet she is struggling with lots of sadness because of the passing of her mother. No matter what she does or how wonderful every aspect of her life is, she still can't seem to get beyond her feelings about the holidays. 


BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now?
About three years ago, my editor, Beth de Guzman suggested that I write a Christmas book, and while I wasn't sure what I would center the story on, I told her about my own personal feelings about Christmas, and she said, "Well, that's the story." I can't personally relate to every aspect of Alexis Fletcher's life, but I can certainly relate to not truly wanting to celebrate Christmas since the passing of my own mom 13 years ago.


BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I enjoyed writing this book because even though Alexis is sad about the holidays, she is blessed in so many other ways and there is a strong sense of love and family throughout the entire story.


BPM: Where do your book ideas come from?
With every book I write, I first decide which social issue I'm really feeling passionate about at the time and then I create my characters around it. From there, I outline the story.


BPM: Are your books plot-driven or character-driven? Why?
My books can tend to be both, depending on which title. What I hear most often than not, though, from the majority of my readers is that they can always relate to both my characters and the overall storyline.


BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
In many of my books, there are. One example, is my novella, A DEEP DARK SECRET where I wrote about a 12-year-old girl who was being sexually molested by her stepfather who was an upstanding deacon in the church. She was suffering in silence and so are millions of children in this country who never tell anyone what's happening to them.


BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, education, spiritual practice or journey?
As I mentioned above, I can't personally relate to every aspect of Alexis Fletcher's life, but I can certainly relate to not wanting to celebrate Christmas since the passing of my own mom 13 years ago. My prayer, however, is that God will give me a renewed spirit and the desire to enjoy the holidays again with family and friends.


BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I wanted to show that not everyone is the same and that loss of a loved one can affect people very differently. I also wanted to show that even through loss, God still gives each and every one of us so many other blessings and loved ones to be there for us.


BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I'm currently finishing up THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, which is my 22nd book and the 12th title in my Reverend Curtis Black Series. It will be released, Tuesday, May 5, 2015.


BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Readers can visit my web site, www.kimroby.com. or visit me through social media at www.facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby   or  www.twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby 

Intimate Conversation with Alexandra Lane

Alexandra Lane was born in Fayetteville, NC but due to her father’s military career she has lived in various states and countries. To have the opportunity to become familiar with other cultures and their traditions was an uplifting and educational journey. One she was glad to have participated in.

She later returned to Fayetteville where she attended Fayetteville State University and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Management. Upon graduation she worked in the financial world of banking. Although she enjoyed her years as a Banking Center Manager she wanted to devote more of her time to writing and telling compelling stories. This is her first novel. She is currently working on her second.


BPM: Can you share a little of your current work with us? Introduce us to your book. 
A Vision of Angels: The Battle Begins is the story of a woman name Minty, a slave and Jack, a slave hunter. Both their lives are shattered beyond what most people would be able to bear.

Minty will make a decision to run away to save her life and Jack and a few men will pursue her in the dark swamps of Maryland. However, Jack is unaware of what he is about to encounter at a place called, Little Canyon. Unimaginable, is how I would describe what happens next. Evil is amongst them, but more than anything, it is very aware of these two souls.

This story is a looking glass into the world of Angels and the incredible feats they performed for the sake of these two lives. This is a story of hope in the face of hopelessness and redemption even when one feels there is none.  Of course, you will have to read the story to understand why.


BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven?  
The idea came about one day when I was watching a daytime talk show. There was a man on the show that described an incredible situation where he survived a paragliding incident that should’ve robbed him of his life. But thankfully, he lived. However, he went on to say he was incredibly “lucky.” 

I saw it different. I saw his angels safely guiding him to earth because his purpose had not yet been fulfilled here on earth. So I wondered how amazing it must look to see our angels in action. How does it look when they’re doing extraordinary things behind the scenes for us? Like saving us from danger, protecting us from harm and even guiding us through life? That is when the story was born.

So far as plot or character driven, I would have to say that this is more character driven because I wanted to focus more on the people in the story. Who they are, and what made them that way. We are all flawed in some way, but there are some people who have more challenges and bigger road blocks in their lives. As a result they develop certain “defenses” to help them cope with the more strenuous obstacles of life. It makes for some very interesting outcomes. 


BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special? 
Well the main characters are Minty, Jack and Red. What makes Minty special is her spirit. Even as a slave she doesn’t lose hope. She never stops believing that she can, one day, be free. Even when everything around her, the environment, the other slaves and her husband, says NO YOU CAN’T.

Jack is special because his life started out one way but made a drastic turn when his parents died. He tries hard to fight the dark emotions that try to rule over him but it’s difficult. He actually has a good heart but it worthless to him. So, he just drifts through life trying to run from a past he hates but realizes it follows you wherever you go.

Red is different. He was born with these awful, menacing eyes that frightens everyone. But as he gets older and begins to partake in some unsavory acts, those eyes are not only frightening but they become occupied with something more sinister than himself.

And I don’t want to make light of Patty and Melinda because they are both instrumental in the story as well. Patty is the owner/madam of a saloon. Her reason for becoming a madam is very interesting.

Melinda is a young woman who was taken in by Patty when she was kicked out of her aunt’s home. However, things begin to take a turn when she and Jack meet for the first time.


BPM: Can you outline some areas where your characters dealt with issues that are in current affairs?
Yes. Although this story takes place in 1849 around the time of slavery, I picked this time to show that even in the direst situations, there is still hope. Keep in mind slavery can come in many forms. Sometimes we are enslaved to our environment: Poverty, crime, drugs, domestic violence, abuse and the list goes on and on. Sometimes when it's all you know and you don't see a way out, it's easier to give in and accept it as your fate. (Just as the other slaves did in this story) But I strongly believe you can change your outcome. 

A Vision of Angels is a story about hope, looking beyond your circumstances and what everyone else is saying and doing and fighting for a better life. Start preparing, set a plan in motion, study hard, hold onto patience and above all have faith in God and follow your angel that He has assigned to you. Do these things and you can make it out of whatever hell you may be in.

Is it going to be easy? No. Are there bumps and bruises in attempting to free yourself? Yes, many. But how great is the reward that awaits when you’re finally free. 


BPM: What would you like for readers to take away from your writing? 
Psalms 91:11 says, “For He shall give His angels charge over thee in all thy ways. The translation of the word “angel” is “messenger.” Simply put, Angels are God’s messengers. What I want people to take away from this story is that we have all been assigned an angel...or two. (Smile) God sent them to help guide us on this journey, therefore, we need to listen when they are trying to do their job.

Whenever you hear a still, quiet voice in your spirit saying, Take her some food and Buy the child some clothes or sometimes a strong urge may come over you to call a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in years. Do it, there's a reason for it. And in some cases they have messages of warnings. For example, you’re getting ready to take a ride with someone that maybe you just met, but all of a sudden this overpowering feeling/warning comes over you and you know you shouldn’t get in that car or Stay away from that place. This is your angel trying to guide you in life as well as protect you. Each act we perform or obey takes us closer to fulfilling our purpose.

And have you ever noticed that when you “do” listen, you’re so glad you did?! Sometimes, it is revealed to us later why we were told to do what we did. Makes you smile. Makes you feel really good inside.


BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author?
When someone calls you or leaves a message and tells you how much they loved your story. As an author, at least for me, it’s not always easy putting a story together but when you finally complete your story, that is the most gratifying feeling. But what’s more exciting is when others read your book and get just as excited about the story as you did when you were writing it. When they say it made them feel good or how they really liked a certain character. When I hear the words, suspenseful, inspirational, blessing or better yet, it made them think. To me, that is success! A wonderful feeling to have.


BPM: Were there any challenges in bringing this story to life? 
Yes, yes and yes to all of the above. Writing in a different time period is a challenge in itself. You have to research the clothes, the words, everything. You have to stay in that time and not forget that there are certain words we say today that were not used back in that time. Certain mannerisms and behaviors were more acceptable back then but not today. So, I had fun learning about those little details that we don’t really think about every day.


BPM: Our life experiences, challenges and success help define who we are on a personal and professional level. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it? 
Actually, there are several points in my life that I can reflect on that shaped who I am today but I will address this particular one. My first trial in life came when I became a divorcee and I had three children to raise on my own. Whew! That was a tough one. I had to move to a place that my kids weren’t use to living in, but that was so I could go to college and hopefully provide a better life for them. I had always wanted to go but I didn’t have the money or any scholarships or rich relatives. LOL. I honestly didn’t know where to start. 

So, I went to the college and spoke to the administrators and they were wonderful in guiding me on where to begin. But in pursuing this journey, I had to “back up” in life in order to go forward and I also had to be patient and stay focused on the end game and not my current situation. You realize how strong you are as a mother and as a person when you have very little to live off of and nowhere to pull from. But when I finished college and walked across that stage to receive my degree the REWARD was far greater than the struggle and the pain I endured.

I can’t find the words to describe how it felt to get a good paying job and what it felt like to move your family into a better home and neighborhood and comfortably provide for them.

One day, while sitting at my computer and thinking back on my life, I wrote this short poem for myself. Of course, I titled it, New Beginnings:

**A new beginning represents the journey and transition of a woman. Her struggles through difficult times and the transformation she undergoes. Strength is the gift given to each woman that has had to start over in her life, for her choices were few, and her path reset. And for every dramatic change she endures, like the butterfly, she emerges stronger, wiser and more beautiful. When you thought you couldn’t run any further, you now realize you have wings…and you can soar. **

This poem hangs on my wall in my room as a reminder of what I was brought through. Thank you, God. 


Website: http://alexandralane.tateauthor.com  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avisionofangels 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.lane11 


Purchase A Vision of Angels: The Battle Begins
Available on Kindle and Nook and in print 

Barnes and Noble.com:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-vision-of-angels-alexandra-lane/1108912950  

Intimate Conversation with Kristin L. Mitchell

KRISTIN LYNN MITCHELL, M.Ed. was born in Washington, D.C. She was formerly educated in the District of Columbia Public School system, from grades K-12. Because of her immense desire to become an educator, aiding in positively changing the lives of students in the District of Columbia, she decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Spelman, Kristin became a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc., following in her mother’s footsteps.

Kristin always excelled academically. She graduated from Spelman number ten in her class, Phi Beta Kappa, and with high honors—summa cum laude. After graduating from Spelman, Kristin was accepted into Teach For America, and began her career as a high school, special education teacher at Anacostia Senior High School in Washington, DC. During her first year of teaching, Kristin set out to pursue her Master of Education in special education from George Mason University. Kristin graduated from George Mason with a perfect 4.0 GPA and high honors. Kristin credits her success to her mother, Erica J. D. Jones, and her earnest desire to teach to Ms. Griselda Y. Rutherford, her fifth grade teacher.

Kristin currently resides in Washington, D.C., with her pet tortoise, Brylen, and is still striving to make a positive change in the lives of students who reside in the southeast quadrant of Washington, DC. 


BPM: What motivated you to sit down and actually start writing this book? 
My relationship with an ex-boyfriend was my inspiration for writing, He Wasn’t My Daddy. The demise of this relationship catapulted into a platform that is relevant to millions of women across the globe. This platform is that of being a “fatherless daughter.” This relationship allowed me to realize that I was a “fatherless daughter” and that I had, “daddy issues.” Thusly, I began to realize the importance of having that father figure in your life, and the detriment that can be caused when that presence is absent, as in my case. 

BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?
Absolutely! In this book, I am speaking from a very personal place. I am telling, “Kristin’s story, based on Kristin’s perspective.” My story is all about my upbringing, being raised by a single mother, and being a, “fatherless daughter.” I speak to how not having the presence of a father figure in my life affected me, how it caused me to cling onto situations and people and look for that unique love in all the wrong places. 

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What separates this story from the millions of other books on the shelves? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?
You know, this is a story about love, loss, abandonment, and restoration! It truly takes you through the journey of a “fatherless daughter.” It is written in a way that bonds “fatherless daughters” across the world. It connects us by teaching and allowing the reader to see that so many of us share the same and/or similar stories, as it relates to this platform. It provides real-life examples of how to reach a happier ending; and most importantly, it’s expression of vulnerability and emotional exposure makes it easy for readers to relieve some of the shame and/or guilt for the decisions that they might have made, as a result of not having that father figure. 

He Wasn’t My Daddy is honest, holds nothing back, and allows for others to witness that it is okay to expose all, in an effort to heal open wounds. Yes, it will be available on Nook and Kindle.

BPM: Give us an insight into the relationships discussed in the book. What makes each one so special? 
The two biggest relationships that I discuss in the book are the relationship with my ex, L.B. and the relationship between my father and I. Where do I begin? My relationship with L.B. was my first real, “adult” relationship. I would have moved Heaven and Earth for that man. There was something about the genuine care and concern that I believed he felt for me that drew me into him. I mean, I don’t recall ever feeling as if a man felt that type of genuine care and concern about me before. He wanted the best for me, he cared about my well being, he was interested in my finishing undergrad; he just wanted the overall best for me. No wonder I latched on! I quickly and unknowingly, placed him on a pedestal: one so tall that I left no room for him to fall – no room for error. I believe this is where I subconsciously placed him in the role of a father figure. He became my “everything!” 

After L.B. and I broke up, and I began to experience an, “emotional rollercoaster.” During the aftermath, I began to realize what I had subconsciously done; but it took me four long years! I realized that I did have, “daddy issues” and all this time, I was looking fort L.B. to fulfill that role. I mean I had never had my father around growing up. He was imprisoned when I was so young. All those years that I missed out on having my father around, affected me in a very subconscious way. All this time I thought that I was just looking for and yearning for L.B.’s love; when all the while, I was yearning for the love of my father; the type of love that L.B. would never have been able to give me, no matter how hard he tried. Needless to say, the book definitely speaks to my father and my estranged relationship and the journey that we are on to build what should have always been there. 

BPM: What topics are primarily discussed? Did you learn anything personal from writing your book? 
Wow! This book delves deep. He Wasn’t My Daddy speaks to various topics, platforms. The primary one being that of, “fatherless daughters.” Additionally, I discuss mental illness, suicidal ideations, sexual promiscuity, love & relationships, and self-esteem. Writing this book was definitely therapeutic for me. It allowed me to uncover a LOT of deep-rooted baggage that I was blindly carrying around. Being able to share my story and connect with other women in the same and/or similar circumstances is a pure blessing! 

BPM:  What was your biggest challenge writing this particular book?
The biggest challenge I face while writing the book was having to relive some painful situations and recall some painful memories. It took a lot of strength to get through writing many off the chapters, as they are true reflections of my life and recant very painful experiences that I have endured. However, in an attempt to deliver something that was as authentic as possible, I had to ensure that I captured all of what I experienced and felt in my life, especially during those pivotal times. I'm hopeful that readers will appreciate this emotional sacrifice.

BPM: What would you like for readers to take away from your writing? How do you go about reaching new readers? 
I want readers to take away that if I can make it, Lord knows they can too! I mean, the struggle is definitely real, and there will be days that seem unbearable. However, I want to be the voice that says, “You can make it. Don’t give up and stay the course.” Look at the bright side, having the opportunity to reconnect to your father, or any parent is a blessing. It allows you to learn more about yourself, repair other broken relationships, set realistic expectations and ways of being for romantic relationships, and it opens up so many doors for emotional healing. 

Lastly, I want readers to realize just how much not having a relationship with a parent can affect romantic relationships. We wonder why we as women put up with so much from the men in our lives; here is a good reason why! 

BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career? What would you like to accomplish after the book is released? 
To me, success can’t really be defined or measured. Success is your personal satisfaction with self, both professionally and personally. That is very different for everyone and depending on where you are in your life, it can change for the individual as well. Don’t try to be successful; if you’re anything like me, you will run yourself into the ground trying to keep up with yourself. Rather, work toward accomplishing whatever realistic goals you set out for yourself. That’s it, that’s all! 

BPM: What’s the most important quality a writer should have?
I believe that the most important quality a writer should have is transparency. I do not believe that you can truly affect change, inspire, and uplift people if you do not bring a strong sense of transparency. People want someone that they can relate to, someone who is not afraid to be vulnerable and share their story; with the hopes that someone else can benefit from it. 

BPM: What are your expectations for this book? 
My expectations for this book are two things. The first being to continue to spark a nation-wide and worldwide dialogue about, “fatherless daughters.” It is important for women to understand that there are millions of other women out there who understand and have fought this struggle and that they are not alone. It is equally as important for them to realize that often time their personal and romantic relationships have a great potential to be negatively affected as a result of being a, “fatherless daughter.” Often time we do not realize the detriment that is caused, the cycles that we perpetuate and how the decisions we make are predicated on those primary relationships we build with our parents; and as daughters with our fathers. Perhaps, continuing this dialogue will open the eyes of many to this issue. 

My second expectation of this book is to travel the world, being a voice for and connecting to women like me! What a more fulfilling experience? Let’s talk, allow me to share how made it through my darkest times, my mental illness, my suicidal attempts. Allow me to share the steps that my father and I have taken to mend our relationship, and how that has tremendously benefited my life and helped to uncover so many other broken relationships; and most importantly, allow me to share how the grace of God has kept me.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and you work?
The best ways to discover more about my work and me is to follow me on social media and invite me to speak at panel discussions and various events. 

Connect with Kristin L. Mitchell
Website: www.hewasntmydaddy.com 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KrisLMitchell 
Instagram:  http://instagram.com/theekristinmitchell
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kristin.mitchell.52

Purchase He Wasn’t My Daddy by Kristin L. Mitchell
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/he-wasnt-my-daddy-kristin-l-mitchell/1120324025 
http://www.amazon.com/He-Wasnt-Daddy-Restoration-Redemption/dp/0692257624 

Intimate Conversation with D.J. McLaurin

Chicago native, DJ McLaurin, is the author of the provocative novel, What if it Feels Good. A graduate of DePaul University and a Certified Public Accountant, DJ has worked in various fields including banking, auditing, a twenty-two year stint in radio, and, most recently, the Theatre Industry. Prior to venturing into the world of writing contemporary fiction, DJ wrote plays for local venues which are still in circulation today. She resides in South Holland, Illinois, with her husband and her two daughters, where she is working on Age of Consent, Falling Up, Metamorphosis, and Pretty Boy, all riveting follow-ups to What If It Feels Good, as well as a new venture into the genre of the supernatural titled In The Company of Ghosts.

BPM: What drove you to sit down and actually start writing this book? 
I worked for the company that produced the Today’s Black Woman Expo in Chicago, and author Naleighna Kai would appear as guest speaker annually. I would sit in the back and watch her work that room. One year, I gathered enough nerve to approach her and talk about a novel idea I had been keeping in my heart. She was so appalled that I let fear snatch my pen. She literally threatened that I’d better not attend another one of her events without that manuscript in my hand. It was completed by the next event and she guided me from there.

BPM: Does your upbringing or life experiences inspire your writing?
Absolutely! I am 4th from the bottom of 11 children. Inside that brood, I rarely got enough attention. I had my siblings to play with, but it was mostly my imagination that I turned to for comfort. To help my mother with the younger siblings and cousins, I would draw pictures and tell them stories from the pictures. When I was older and able to write coherently, I began reading to them, both from my own writings and from books. I would read anything: food labels, dictionaries, encyclopedias, weekly readers, Jet Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Readers Digest, Life Magazine…anything I’d find laying around the house. When I read a story and didn’t like the ending, I’d rewrite it.

BPM: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you write every day?
Do you have a special time to write? My published novels were written on a full-time schedule, and I wrote everyday with one day off. Lately, I write more for my own enjoyment. Therefore, if it feels like work, I don’t do it. I write as my muse indulges me. Otherwise, I pick up a book.

BPM: Do you ever let the book stew – leave it for months and then come back to it? 
Never for months, but weeks? Yes. I’ll push a manuscript aside and read great stories or watch great movies for inspiration, or just a change of pace.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven? 
My books are mainly character driven. Characters form themselves in my head and live out many lives for many months—years even—until the events of their lives began to stitch themselves into novels worth sharing. I like stepping into the shoes of folks who are completely unlike me.

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider your book? 
In this Contemporary, Alternative Fiction, story of love, betrayal, and revenge, bonds are tested, friendships are challenged, dark secrets surface and an epic romance blossoms amidst a media circus.

Michael Bagley, street savvy and beautiful, learned the art of the con and sleeps with older women to survive. When an accidental shooting sets off a citywide manhunt and thrusts Michael into certain danger, his mother, a stripper at a local nightclub, is finally forced to confront the biological father who didn’t know Michael existed. Soon, Michael finds himself whisked off the streets of Detroit and into a world of champagne dreams with more money at his fingertips than he ever thought possible.

But Michael’s life takes a bizarre turn as he bonds with his newfound father’s best friend. Chachi is a charming, down-to-earth ladies’ man, who awakens sensations Michael can’t explain, throwing him into identity turmoil. When the dust settles, Michael learns that neither riches, fame, nor age has anything to do with love.

As Michael struggles to find his place in a new world, he hopes the streets have toughened him enough to hold on to a secret relationship that may be against the odds and out of his league, and win the fight for the love of his life. 


BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?
Michael is a homeless, young beauty who makes a living hustling alongside his stripper Mom, Sarah. His stunning brains and wealth of charisma does not reconcile with his lot, and Michael senses that he comes from something else, but he doesn’t press his mother. What he longs for most, besides life’s basic needs, is simply love. Because of his looks, he cannot escape the attentions of others, male and female. Life has hardened him to these affections, and he has to eat, so he uses what he can get…until someone special unlocks his passions and all his secrets…

Out of fear, Sarah withholds the truth of Michael’s birth and spirals into a life of self-abuse in an effort to outrun her past…and her guilt. When her beautiful son finds trouble, she risks everything to save him, revealing his true birth-right, and turning many lives head over feet.

Chachi is a juggernaut of a man, in stature, power and personality. With his tightly-bound group of friends, he has created an empire. With this life comes the spoil of the rich: money, houses, cars, women…he has it all. But he’s in his thirties and has never been in love…until…


BPM: Can you outline some areas where your characters dealt with issues that are in current affairs?
Homelessness, street soliciting, forbidden romance, adultery, celebrity w/ paparazzi issues, are all current affairs explored in What If It Feels Good.

BPM: What would you like for readers to take away from your writing? 
I want to give readers another perspective. I won’t them to reconsider their lifelong opinions and viewpoints. I tend to use social media to reach as many new readers as possible, but I’m hoping this books uses those “legs” to carry it even farther. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend.

BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I would love for the world to read and love my books. I love to write thought-provoking plots and get a reader’s feedback. That’s the only reason I publish—to reach these readers that would appreciate such stories and share the experience. Otherwise, I would be happy writing as a hobby.

BPM: What is your favorite positive saying? Where do you find your daily inspiration?
My mom always says, “ No ain’t never killed anyone.” Meaning, to ask for what you want and not let the fear of rejection stop you.

BPM: Were there any challenges in bringing this story to life?
Writing from the male point of view was a challenge. I’m constantly reviewing the emotional temperature of the characters. Men aren’t as emotional as women, and I have trouble with balancing that.

BPM: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing?
The disadvantages of self-publishing are often the advantages. Self-publishers have the autonomy to make all the decisions and reap the bulk of the benefits. On the one hand, that’s a lot of hard work. On the other hand, you get to make all the decisions and reap the bulk of the benefits…

BPM: Where do you see publishing going in the future? In your opinion, will ebooks continue to reign?
Ebooks will reign supreme! I still love paper books, and don’t own an e-reader (yet), but who can deny the genius of this super service!

BPM: What’s your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you?
The Internet, and social media at large, is a brilliant marketing tool. It’s also a vast oasis, so you have to know what you’re doing, or hire someone that knows what they’re doing, or you’ll find that you’re simply spinning your wheels.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Leave me a note at mclaurindj@yahoo.com or visit www.djmclaurin.com.

Website: www.djmclaurin.com
Follow on Twitter: @mclaurindj
Facebook: http://facebook.com/mclaurindj


Purchase What If It Feels Good by D. J. McLaurin  
Contemporary, Alternative Fiction 

Intimate Conversation with Jean Love Cush

A native of Philadelphia, Jean Love Cush graduated magna cum laude from Temple University School of Communication. She later earned a law degree, and worked as a prosecutor for the Philadelphia district attorney's office. Jean also served as a family law attorney helping low-income women escape domestic-abuse situations through community outreach, advocacy, and legal representation. 

As the host of her own weekly radio show, Jean continued to pour her energy into issues that matter to her. As the on air personality of A View From the Summit, she tackled such issues as public safety, education, inner city violence and the plight of African American youth. It was while at the radio station that the idea and research for her novel Endangered came about.

Endangered was published by Amistad/HarperCollins and has received rave reviews. New York Times best selling authors Ashley and JaQuarvis call it “a gripping tale that captivates from the first page to the very last.” Publishers Weekly said the author “crafted a compassionate story that commands the reader’s attention,” while Ebony Magazine declared Endangered a “page turner.”

Jean is currently working on her third novel, The Missing, which is scheduled for release sometime in 2016.  While writing books has been a dream of Jean’s since childhood, her greatest loves are God, her two beautiful daughters Sydney and Haley and her husband Charles Cush.


BPM: What is Endangered about?
Endangered is about Janae Williams whose 15-year-old son, Malik, is accused of the latest murder in a wave of violence that has just been relentless in Philadelphia. She is desperate to prove his innocence but does not have the money it will take. In steps the internationally renowned human rights attorney Roger Whitford with an offer of a free legal defense, but there’s a catch. In exchange for his representation, Janae must allow Roger and his partner, Calvin Moore, to use her son’s case to expose what they believe is the inherent bias in the criminal justice system against all black males. They argue that black males should be protected under the law as an endangered species.


BPM: Tell us about your main characters. What makes each one special?
Endangered has a wonderful cast of characters. Janae Williams is by far the most complex character, and who grows the most in the story. From the moment she hears her son has been arrested for murder, she is absolutely convinced that he is innocent. Her greatest challenge is coming to terms with the fact that she was completely unprepared for what could have been predicted in their crime-ridden community. She’s been drifting through life—surviving but not really living. Her son’s arrest is a wake up call that could change their lives forever. 

Then there’s Roger Whitford, the successful and maybe even fanatical human rights attorney. He’s waited his whole life to bring down what he believes is a criminal justice system riddled with bias against black males. He thinks he’s found the perfect client in Janae’s son Malik. 

Finally, Calvin Moore rounds out the three main characters. He’s the self-made, high-powered attorney. He wants nothing to do with his underprivileged past until his philanthropic boss persuades him to help out on Malik’s case. Slowly he comes around, and with as much passion as his partner, he is determined to prove Malik’s innocence.


BPM: How did you come up with your story idea?
A few years back, I had the wonderful opportunity to host my own weekly radio show called A View From the Summit in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The format of the show was to cover local interest stories. There had been an up tick in the number of murders in the city, and almost all the victims and their perpetrators were black males. Around the same time, the beating death of Chicago honor student Derrion Albert made national news. Across the country people were talking about what could be done to curb the inner city violence. I decided to do a show on inner city violence. It wasn’t until after the show, when I could not shake what I had learned, that I realized that there was a story waiting to be told. I kept digging, broadening my research to include the imprisonment of black males.

With Endangered, I wanted to explore how the violence, bias and the criminal justice system impact the lives of people living in these communities. It was so important to me that Janae and her son, Malik, were strong, fully fleshed out characters and NOT caricatures of people from the “hood” that we too often see on 60 seconds news clips.


BPM: What should your readers take away from Endangered?
Wow, what a great question. I want my readers to turn the last page of Endangered feeling completely satisfied and entertained. But equally important to me is that they have a greater sense of compassion and understanding for what black boys living in the inner city face on a daily basis, including the threat of violence, the police and incarceration.


BPM: How does Endangered relate to current social issues?
Endangered opens with Malik having to confront the police on his own. His friends have all run away at the first sound of sirens because of their own fears and distrust of the cops. This 15-year-old child has to endure guns drawn on him, an unwarranted beating, and verbal abuse before he is tossed into the backseat of a cruiser without any explanation.

Malik’s survives his encounter with the police but his story is reminiscent of current events where black males and their families seem powerless to the machine of the criminal justice system.

One of the major questions or themes of Endangered is whether we as a society are really committed to the belief that all human life is valuable. Today, in the US, we are asking those same types of questions in light of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Ezell Ford, Ramarley Graham and so many others.


BPM: What do you wish you had known when you started writing?
Oh, that’s an easy question for me—that writing is as much a business as it is art. When I started writing, I considered myself an artist. I didn’t want to have anything to do with the business side of things. Trust me, that is a surefire way to never get published whether you self-publish or go the traditional route. It’s only when I changed my mindset that I started to see things happen in terms of actually getting my stories to readers. While in my heart I would rather sit at my computer all day and create, my brain tells me that there is other equally important work to do in order for readers to get to enjoy my stories.


BPM: How do you balance your personal life with your professional life as a writer?
To be honest, I don’t know that I do. I know I try really hard to create some semblance of balance. An interesting thing about writing is that once you’ve written the story, and it’s published, the other work of getting the word out begins. I try to include my family in promoting the book. If I go to a book signing, my two daughters help manage the sales, my husband is usually behind the camera taking pictures or video footage, all of which help me to be fully present for my readers. It’s a family affair!


BPM: Our life experiences, challenges and successes help define who we are on a personal and professional level. At what point in your career did you discover your real worth and own it?
This is more of a spiritual question for me. I remember when I graduated from law school and started practicing law as a prosecutor. I knew almost instantly that I didn’t want to be an attorney; that realization was absolutely devastating because I had invested so much time, energy and money into it. I didn’t stop practicing right away. I gave it a few years but my initial impression never changed. If I’m really honest, I knew most of my life that I wanted to be a writer but the law seemed like a practical thing to do. And how could I quit when I had beaten the odds of growing up very poor? But I did eventually give up the practice of law, and for some time I struggled with my “worth.” If I couldn’t define myself as an attorney then who was I? Now, I own my worth because it is not based on what I do but that I am a child of GOD.


BPM: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Definitely! I am blessed to be able to do what I love—write. And, I want to thank the readers in advance for their support. Also, remember once you have read Endangered, or any book by any author and loved the story, spread the word!!

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Please visit the Jean Love Cush website — www.jeanlovecush.com
Like Jean Love Cush on Facebook — www.facebook.com/jeanlovecush
Follow Jean Love Cush on Twitter— www.twitter/jcush

Intimate Conversation with Michelle Morgan Spady

The author, Michelle Morgan Spady, is a retired child care center owner, and teacher of English and Computer Technology. Ms. Spady loves reading and writing and tells many of her stories from her memories of days in the classroom and on the playground. She says that her writings are enriched by the illustrations provided by her artist son, whose love is in creating characters for her to develop in her stories. They work as a mother and son team.

With the formation of their company, ‘B’Artful’, dedicated to promoting emerging artists and writers and the release of their third book together, the duo are on a roll. Michelle Spady and Bradford O. Spady co-produced "An Artist and His Obsession", "7 Days 2 Tell" and the anti-bullying tale, titled: ‘ShoozyQ and the AB Crew in Bully on the Playground’. Ms. Spady lives in McLean, VA with her husband and son.

BPM: What motivated you to sit down and actually start writing this book?
I work with children all the time, and throughout many of my interactions with them, I am always conscious of the way they talk to each other and the way the solve their problems. I used to get very involved when my son would come home with stories of how he had been "over-powered" or "bullied" by some kid. One day this poem came to me and I wrote it down. I found some of my son's characters that he had drawn that I thought would fit the story perfectly. That's what got me started on the idea of writing and publishing a book.

BPM: What motivated you to become an indie author?
I like challenges, and I have been keeping journals for years saying that one day I was going to write a book. I still have not penned the book that I have had in my heart. for years There is a story that I want to tell. Right now, I'd like to help my son launch his career for storytelling and drawing.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven?
My son, Bradford came up with the idea of his first book "An Artist...". ShoozyQ..." and "7 Days..." were my idea. We write about what we're interested in. We don't want to be "pigeon-holed" into any one category. He likes to draw characters first and then write stories around them. I help him a lot with the writing, so it is challenging for me sometimes to have to come up with a story that he has already "drawn". He is of course, visual and he can draw a whole story. I have find the narrative.

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What separates this story from the millions of other books on the shelves? Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?
Well ShoozyQ and the AB Crew is a book about a group of kids who play on the playground every day and there is a bully who taunts them. One day ShoozyQ decides to stand up to the bully and she gathers her friends and tells them to follow her, she has an idea of how to get the bully to change his ways and just play with them instead. Without giving away the whole book, she uses positive words.

What makes our book different is that it is "written in poem format, the book uses vibrant illustrations, and a good dose of positivity to encourage children to look at bullying from another perspective. ShoozyQ and her “crew” persuade a schoolyard bully to change his behavior without being mean and abusive themselves – something that is often overlooked in books with an anti-bullying message.

“We include activities so that educators can get the discussions going with children. It’s important to keep the ball rolling after the story is over, and really get to the root of what the kids have learned from ShoozyQ’s experiences." It is available on Kindle and IBooks.

BPM: Give us an insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?
Because our characters are "cartoony" their very fun. My son, allows me to name them most of the time, so by the time we have completed a story we feel as though we know each one. My favorite character in the ShoozyQ book is the little African American girl named Kiana. She's got personality and she wears red cow girl boots. I went out and bought me a pair the character motivated me so. Actually, we have plans to promote Kiana little more after we get the ShoozyQ book off the ground.

BAN Radio Interview with Janet Autherine

Janet Autherine was born in St. Thomas, Jamaica, and immigrated to the United States when she was twelve. She grew up in Philadelphia and she went on to study at the Pennsylvania State University and Boston College Law School. After launching her legal career in Washington, D.C., she was eventually drawn back to the sunshine, and she now lives in Florida with her husband and their three sons.

Her juvenile nonfiction book, Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons and Daughters is inspired by her own journey from poverty to a successful legal career. She believes that every obstacle can be a stepping stone to success. The book teaches children and young adults to recognize the greatness they were born with and empowers them to nourish the virtues of love, faith, courage, leadership, happiness, gratitude and confidence within themselves. Her book conveys the following message: Every child matters. Every child is unique. Every child has been born with greatness. Her personal journey is discussed on the website:www.GrowIntoGreatness.com, in the post, MY STORY.

BAN: When and why did you begin writing?
I was a very shy child so the only way that I could express myself was with a pen. I excelled in classes that were graded based on writing skills. I had a vivid imagination and would create elaborate stories. I promised myself that one day I would write them all. Over the years, I have written many stories but Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons & Daughters is the one that I had to give birth to before I could publish the others. It was inspired by my experiences growing up in a small, relatively poor town in St. Thomas, Jamaica. This book is a “thank you” to God; it is an acknowledgment of how he blessed and sustained me in good and bad times, and a testimony to other children that he can do the same for them.

BAN: What was the inspiration for your book, Growing into Greatness with God? 
In the book, Growing into Greatness with God, the words of wisdom that accompany the stories are inspired by all the advice given to me by my mothers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and all the "old souls" that entered my early years. I grew up in a house where family, faith, good food and hard work were celebrated. A two bedroom house was home to three generations. It wasn't unusual for an 11 year old to walk 1/2 mile to fetch water before school, walk home, get ready for school, walk at least 1/2 mile to school, be respectful and attentive, participate in field day, take the long walk home with friends (not forgetting to stop and say hello to all the neighbors), pick fruit or dig yams for dinner, complete homework assignments, and end the day by having dinner and fellowship with family. That was my daily life growing up in Jamaica. I didn't fully appreciate it back then, but I certainly do now. I want children to have confidence in the fact that they are unique, amazing, born with greatness and can overcome any obstacle.

BAN: What is your spiritual background?
I gained my confidence in a little church in St. Thomas, Jamaica, called the Hampton Court Seventh Day Adventist church. That church was the cornerstone of the community and it was where I learned and recited bible scriptures, sung gospel songs and recited poetry. It is where I made some of my best childhood friends, picked cherries from the best cherry tree in town and listened to the sermons that inspired me to keep God the center of my life. Love the Lord God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself is my guiding principle in life. My family currently worships at a beautiful Episcopal church in Florida. 

BAN: How does your new book, Growing into Greatness with God: 7 Paths to Greatness for our Sons & Daughters, relate to your spiritual journey?
The book, Growing into Greatness with God, was born from those early bible study groups in church. The stories of young David (the boy who defeated the Giant), Daniel (a man who stood without fear among lions), Solomon (the wise king) and Ruth (the loyal friend), as well as many others, all resonated with me. We were too poor to afford the latest toys and there was no television in our home, so these characters became my heroes. We were poor but it didn't define our lives; we were rich in love, faith and community, and we had big dreams. 

BAN: Your book is titled, Growing into Greatness with God. How do you define greatness?
We are all unique beings, so greatness will mean something different to each person. I think greatness is finding your natural talent, fueling it with passion, planting it in well nourished soil, and toiling in the garden until it breaks through the earth and reaches for the stars. You must then use everything that you have achieved to serve others. Service is the heart of greatness; for me, there is no greatness without service.

BAN: What do you think about the culture of bullying in our schools?
It breaks my heart that fear instead of love is consuming some of our children. I say fear because most bullies are acting based on their own fears and insecurities. They seek to feel better about themselves by hurting others. When children feel whole on the inside, there is no need fill that void in their spirit by hurting others. Unfortunately, we cannot always protect our children from mean-spiritedness, but we can empower them with the knowledge that they are unique, their thoughts and feelings are important, that God is with them even when they feel alone and they can overcome any obstacle. I hope that in some small way Growing into Greatness with God can help children shine a positive light on themselves. 

Intimate Conversation with Gracie Hill

GRACIE HILL is the award-winning author of five faith-based novels. She has also contributed to a book of anthology and written for several magazines. Gracie is an entrepreneur and a Spirit filled woman of God. She is a member of the Chicago Writers Association and lives with her husband and children in the Chicago, IL area. Visit her at www.graciehill.com. Follow her on Facebook and become a Facebook friend at Gracie Hill.

PATRICIA HALEY is a trailblazer in the modern-day Christian fiction genre. She is an award winning, #1 Essence national bestselling author of twelve faith-based novels and two anthologies. She’s a senior project manager, born again believer, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Patricia lives with her loving husband and precious daughter in the Chicago, IL area. Visit her on www.patriciahaley.com. Become a Facebook friend at Patricia Haley-Glass or join her fan page at Author Patricia Haley.

BPM: Gracie, how did you get to be where you are in your life today? Who or what motivated you?
My mother was a tremendous influence in my life. She was strong, independent, intelligent and a successful entrepreneur. She taught me to work hard and encouraged me to live my dreams.

BPM: Who does your body of literary work speak to?
It speaks to those who need to be encouraged that their challenges in life are temporal. It speaks to those who need direction and a source of strength that is available and reliable.

BPM: Do you consider authors as role models?
I consider them as a source of encouragement and as a catalyst that drives me to stretch out, challenge myself and go to the next level. I am an avid reader. There are so many awesome entertaining authors. I read to relax and allow my mind to experience a journey that someone else has paved for my enjoyment. I like the feel of a book in my hand. Reading other author’s work gives me confidence that the heights in excellence other word smiths have achieved is just as possible for me.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book?
The book was co-authored with National Bestselling author, Patricia Haley. She envisioned a series comprised of modern stories, loosely based on the attributes of the Apostle Paul and struggles he encountered with churches in the New Testament. She asked me if I would be interested in writing the series with her. Of course, I happily said, “Yes.”

BPM: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Developing the characters, especially the protagonist, Maxwell Montgomery. I enjoyed the challenge of sculpting his personality, strengths and weaknesses and folding those into his relentless mission to pursue corrupt church leaders while realizing his own flaws as the story unfolded.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special?
Relentless is the first book in the Redeemed Series. Maxwell Montgomery is the protagonist. Relentless depicts him amassing a long list of legal victories in the war he’s waged against corruption and religious hypocrisy, single-handedly bringing down one of the most popular churches in Philadelphia. He’s estranged from his family and unable to have a successful relationship. Maxwell cannot focus on anything but his mission. He has a single vision and he doesn’t need God or trust God. I think this makes him a relatable character for many people who struggle with past hurts and disbelief or uncertainty of who God is and his power. He struggles with forgiveness and allowing those who have hurt him a second chance. His personal conflicts make him real and believable. The same personal conflicts make him many of us if we take a good look at ourselves.

BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, education, spiritual practice or journey?
The book takes you on a journey and so does life. I was raised in the church and have been Spirit filled for over twenty years. My Christian walk has been one paved with struggles, successes, disappointments and joyous celebrations. I have grown in my knowledge of the Word of God and my Christian character has matured and helped to shape the woman of God that I am today. I thank God for placing me in the right church where the Bible is experienced. Promise of Life Ministries in Rockford IL has been a blessing in my life for many years. If we allow God to lead us, we will always end up in the right place.

BPM: Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
The book just reminded us that people are not perfect, even the ones we love. It clearly depicts that success doesn’t always equate to happiness. However, God’s love and direction is always an oasis when the storms rage in our lives.

BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
We wanted to craft a story built around a protagonist that people could relate to. Maxwell Montgomery isn’t perfect. He has challenges and shortcomings like all of us. But, he does grow and is able to see himself and begins to wonder if he has made a mistake in his pursuit of a specific pastor in the story. Our readers are able to experience Maxwell’s journey as the story comes to life and the plot unfolds chapter by chapter. I think the book absolutely set the pace for the other three books in the series. And, Relentless introduced a protagonist, Maxwell Montgomery, who is intriguing, likeable at times, frustrating at others and will captivate your interest as the four book series continues.

Our readers will not want to miss a step of Maxwell's journey to discover the unexpected and the unknown that awaits him.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
Patricia and I are currently writing the second book in the series, Redeemed. And, we are enjoying the literary journey.

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Visit my website at www.graciehill.com and get to know Patricia Haley at www.patriciahaley.com


Purchase Relentless by Patricia Haley and Gracie Hill 
Redeemed Series Book 1;  Released on Oct. 28, 2014 
Genre: Drama, Faith Based; Clean Fiction with adult issues

Barnes and Noble.com:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relentless-patricia-haley/1118612869 

Intimate Conversation with Christine Y. Robinson 

Christine Young-Robinson was raised in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, but she now resides in her place of birth, Columbia, South Carolina. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. 

No stranger to the literary world, Christine has spent the last few years working with her children’s books, Isra the Butterfly Gets Caught for Show and Tell, Chicken Wing, and the young adult ebook Hip-Hop and Punk Rock. Her short story, "Miss Amy’s Last Ride," was featured in the anthology Proverbs for the People. 

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle?
Ans. We Didn’t See It Coming is a compelling story about three sisters who come from a family of wealth—and whose lives are shattered by tragedy, scandal, secrets, and betrayal. It's contemporary fiction. The book is available in digital form for readers that love to read on their Nook or Kindle.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven? Why?
Ans. My ideas come from my imagination, dreams and things I observe in my surroundings. My books are plot driven but at times it can be a mixture of both. 

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special? 
Ans. The Houston sisters come from wealth and have been cared for and protected by their parents. Kenley, the youngest sister is outspoken, where as Noelle, the middle sister is modest. The oldest sister, Milandra, is the arrogant one. No matter what, each sister loves and values their family.

BPM: What topics are primarily discussed? Did you learn anything personal from writing your book?
Ans. Family issues, sisterhood, abuse and relationships. I have learned to be aware of people who attempt to prey on others who are going through a family crisis. 

BPM: What defines success for you, as a published author? 
Ans: Success to me is that this miracle-writer finally gets to do what she loves and share it with others. If it’s God will, I pray to have more published work. 

BPM: What are your expectations for this book? What would you like for readers to do after reading this book?
Ans: I want readers to enjoy the book and I hope that it becomes a success. I would like readers to spread the word about my book.

BPM: What do you see as the biggest change in the industry since you entered publishing?
Ans: Lately, I do see a lot of books become movies. That’s a good thing for the author. 

BPM: Did you ever ask yourself, "Why am I doing this? Should I change course and maybe try to get some of the things on that list?" 
Ans: I never ask myself why I’m doing this because I put it in prayer and God led me to writing as a form of relaxation, which led to publication. I’m thankful.

BPM: Do you feel as if you are a role model for women and other authors period?
Ans. I don’t feel I’m a role model. I just try to be the best person that I can be and write because I love it.

BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
Ans. I’m working on the sequel, “Do What You Gotta Do.” To be published by Strebor Books. 

BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Ans. Readers are welcome to visit my website, www.christineyoungrobinson.com. 

Christine Young-Robinson
http://about.me/christineyoungrobinson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/christineyr 
About: http://about.me/christineyoungrobinson 
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/christineyr 
Author's website: http://www.christineyoungrobinson.com 


Coming September 30, 2014, We Didn't See It Coming
Purchase We Didn't See it Coming
Link: http://amzn.com/159309566X  

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER 
by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Alexis Fletcher hasn't had a merry Christmas in five years-not since her mother passed away. Every December she remembers the joy her mother brought to everyone during the holiday season and feels the pain of her absence, even more so now that she and her sister are barely speaking. More than anything, Alexis wishes her family could be whole again.

However, with her wedding fast approaching, Alexis might just be ready to make some holiday memories with a new family of her own. Alexis's fiancé, Chase Dupont, is everything she ever dreamed of. He's kind, handsome, fully supportive of Alexis's career, and the CEO of a large company. But outside forces threaten to derail this happy couple from ever reaching the altar.

As tensions rise, a dramatic event causes Alexis to question everything. Will fate give her what she needs to finally embrace the season that has brought her so much pain? Will Alexis get her wish for a happy holiday? Or will her Christmas prayer go unanswered? 

Chapter 1 - A Christmas Prayer 


It was Black Friday, and while millions of folks were out chasing some of the most colossal deals of the century, all Alexis wanted was for this whole Christmas season to be over with. There were times when she wished she could feel differently, but ever since her mom had passed away five years ago, she hadn’t wanted anything to do with it. Of course, she did still recognize and mentally rejoice at the beautiful birth of Christ, but when it came to huge family celebrations and festive gatherings, she wanted no parts of them. What she did instead, mostly, was pray that New Year’s Day would come as quickly as possible so she could get on with her life.

Alexis curled her body into a tighter ball, picked up the remote control, and looked toward the flat-screen television on her bedroom wall. It was shortly past one in the afternoon, yet she still lay in her dark mahogany sleigh-style bed with her pajamas on. She just didn’t feel like doing anything, and the fact that almost every news channel she turned to showed massive shopping crowds and footage of customers and workers being trampled, well, that made Alexis want to turn off the TV altogether. As it was, she had already been trying her best to avoid every one of those sappy Hallmark Christmas card commercials, and she’d certainly been staying clear of one of her personal favorites—the Hallmark Channel itself, since they were doing what they did every year: airing those depressing Christmas movies day in and day out, twenty-four seven .

If only her mom were still here, Alexis would be so much happier. Even now, she couldn’t help thinking about how much her mom had loved, loved, loved Christmas. It had been by far her favorite holiday, and she’d adored it so much that she would immediately begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving. She would celebrate in various other ways, too, the entire month of December, including playing some of her favorite Christmas carols, such as “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” and “The First Noel.” Then, on the twenty-fifth, she would host a huge family dinner. She bought gifts for everyone, she baked and cooked and baked and cooked some more, and on Christmas afternoon, she would say, “I almost hate to see the sun go down, because Christmas will be just about over.”

This was how it had always been, and it was because of these kinds of sentiments that Alexis was full of happy childhood memories. She even had fond memories from her adult life…that is, until her mom had passed. Now her heart was consumed only with sadness.

Alexis flipped through more channels, sighing heavily. But then she came upon one of her favorite movies, This Christmas, starring Loretta Devine, Regina King, and Idris Elba. She could tell the movie had been on for a while because Chris Brown was already walking toward the front of the church, preparing to sing…“This Christmas.” Alexis watched and listened, though she wasn’t sure why she tortured herself this way, because not once had she ever watched this scene without breaking into tears. It was such a reminder of her mom and the way she had loved and doted on her family. It also reminded Alexis of how her mom had taught her children exceedingly strong Christian values. She’d raised Alexis and her younger sister, Sabrina, to treat all people the way they wanted to be treated and to keep God and family first in their lives. The two of them had been very blessed to have such a loving, caring, and compassionate mother—and it meant everything.

Alexis watched Chris Brown singing from the depths of his soul and then saw family members standing and walking into the church aisle, embracing one another. It was after this that Alexis’s eyes welled up with tears, and she cried uncontrollably. She missed her mother so tremendously that her chest ached. Then, to make matters worse, the next scene showcased the entire family gathered around the dinner table. They looked as though they couldn’t be happier, and Alexis couldn’t help thinking how this was the way she’d once felt, too.

But as the saying went, that was then and this was now. Her mother was gone, and as far as Alexis was concerned, there wasn’t a single thing or person that could make her feel better about it, not even the people Alexis loved. Paula, her best friend since childhood, had been trying to lift her Christmas spirit for years, and so had Alexis’s fiancé, Chase, for the time he’d known her. But if anything, Alexis seemed to feel sadder with each passing year. In fact, this year she’d begun dreading the whole idea of Christmas as early as September. She wasn’t sure what had set her off, exactly; all she knew was that not long after Labor Day, the thought of Christmas had entered her mind and she’d become depressed. It was as if the simplest anticipation of it all had been enough to ruin Alexis’s day, which was the reason she’d taken that particular afternoon off. This hadn’t been hard to do, since she was self-employed as a motivational speaker and her hours were flexible, but she still hated that mere thoughts of Christmas affected her so gravely.

It also didn’t help that she and her sister, Sabrina, were usually at odds about one thing or another. Alexis and Sabrina had never gotten along the way sisters should. They were just too different, she guessed. But at least when their mom had been alive, they’d worked harder at it and tolerated each other more. Now, Alexis practically had to beg to see her niece, Courtney, and there were times when Sabrina still told her no just to be spiteful. The two of them had a lot of bad history, but that was a whole other story and one Alexis didn’t want to think about because it was far too distressing.

As one thought after another raced through her mind, Alexis wept like a child. She was miserable, and she wished she could sleep for the next week. She knew this wasn’t logical, but she just wanted this awful pain to go away. She wanted to be at peace, and before long, she glanced over at the bottle of amitriptyline on her wooden nightstand. Her doctor had prescribed it for insomnia, and although she only took one ten-milligram pill at bedtime, and sometimes only half a pill, she contemplated taking much more. Or maybe all she needed to do was take two of them, because she knew one woman who took twenty-five milligrams for unexplained abdominal pain and another who took more than that for depression. 

FREE: Read Three Episodes of The Last King

The Last King by A. Yamina Collins 

A. Yamina Collins is the author of the quirky short story collection The Blueberry Miller Files. A graduate of New York University, she lives in Manhattan. The Last King is her first novel, and it has already been in Amazon’s Top 100 Bestseller’s list in Fantasy, Science-fiction, Women’s Fiction Literature and Christian Women’s Literature. Check out her blog at Yaminatoday.com

Available for download now:  The Last King: Book 1, Volume #4 by A. Yamina Collins
 http://www.amazon.com/Last-King-Book-Yamina-Collins-ebook/dp/B00M9AU9QE 


In episode #4 Emmy accepts an invitation to the home of Gilead and Markus - and when she enters their home, a whole new world of wonder opens up to her.

Twenty-eight year Emmy Hughes has never quite fit in---she's six feet tall, dark-skinned, and daydreams of being Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. But when she is badly injured in a car accident that kills her mother, Emmy does not dream of fantastical worlds anymore---she just wants her shattered life to be normal again.

Unfortunately, normalcy is the last thing in store for her once she meets Lake George's newest arrival, Dr. Gilead Knightly. Granted immortality from a line of people whose Great Ancestor marched into the Garden of Eden and ate from the Tree of Life, Gilead has been alive for centuries and has met everyone from Nubian kings to Napoleon.

But Gilead and his eccentric family are also hunted beings because God considers the Edenites' possession of immortality to be theft. And for thousands of years He has dealt with their transgression by sending each of them a "Glitch" ---an unsuspecting human meant to retrieve this stolen "property" of immortality and kill them off.

When Emmy discovers that she is Gilead's Glitch, she is not only thrown into a world of immortals who eat bone marrow, panthers who read minds, and a family whose blood is made of pulsing gold, but she finds herself the target of Gilead's vengeance: he must get rid of her before she gets rid of him.

Easier said than done. Because Glitches are not only an Edenite's greatest threat---they're also their greatest love. 

Introduction to the Order of the Seers Trilogy 
by Cerece Rennie Murphy

What would you do if you held infinite power in the palm of your hand?

The Order of the Seers trilogy poses this question within a story that fuses action, mystery, romance, and adventure in a science fiction novel that keeps you at the edge of your seat.

Order of the Seers begins with the journey of Liam and Lilith Knight, a brother and sister who are hunted by The Guild, a ruthless world organization that seeks to capture and exploit Lilith’s unique ability as a Seer to envision the future. Soon after they are forced to leave their home, Lilith and Liam discover that she is not alone. Other Seers like Lilith are routinely kidnapped and enslaved by the Guild for the purpose of consolidating wealth and power around the world. But from within the organization, Marcus Akida, a captured Seer with powerful visioning capabilities, quietly plots his daring escape with the help of a beautiful and tortured Seer named Alessandra. When the escaped Seers are drawn to the same remote commune in Iowa as Liam and Lilith, they each find a place where they can rebuild their lives and rediscover their passion for life and love. 

As the Guild’s efforts to find them intensifies, the Seers ban together with outlaws from the commune to fight back against the organization that threatens their lives – setting off a chain of events that will unleash the full power of the Seers and change everything we know about the true potential that lies dormant in each of us. 

The Red Order - Book II  in the Order of the Seers Trilogy continues the epic battle for freedom which began in Order of the Seers, revealing the secret motives behind an organization that exists to exploit and a renegade movement that seeks to usher in the next phase in human evolution. 

So begins The Last Seer - Book III  in the Order of the Seers Trilogy - When the fall of one nemesis unleashes an even greater danger into the world, Lilli, Joel and the Lost Seers must stand against a new enemy with the means and the will to destroy all of mankind, starting with those they hold most dear. As the Seers mobilize to confront this new evil, the Guild tries desperately to uphold the crumbling world order on which it depends. When their attempts to manage the crisis fail, the members of the Guild are forced to place themselves at the mercy of an unlikely ally. 

But the Guild isn't the only one interested in maintaining control. An agreement made in secret threatens to destroy any hope of a peaceful alliance before it can be made and as the betrayals unfold, no one is safe against a power that will stop at nothing to get what it wants. 

To defeat this threat and ensure the survival of the human race, the Seers must push the boundaries of their abilities beyond any limits they have known and risk crossing the line between life and death. How far would you go to protect what matters most?


Purchase The Last Seer (Book 3 in the Order of the Seers Trilogy)
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Order-Seers-Last-Seer-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00MQZRXL6 


About the Author
Cerece Rennie Murphy fell in love with science fiction at the age of seven, watching “Empire Strikes Back” at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C., with her sister and mom. It’s a love affair that has grown ever since. As an ardent fan of John Donne, Alice Walker, Kurt Vonnegut and Alexander Pope from an early age, Cerece began exploring her own creative writing through poetry. 

She earned her master’s degrees in social work and international relations at Boston College and Johns Hopkins School for Advance International Studies, respectively, and built a rewarding 15-year career in program development, management and fundraising in the community and international development arenas – all while appreciating the stories of human connection told in science fiction through works like Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed,” Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and “The X-Files.” 

In 2011, Cerece experienced her own supernatural event - a vision of her first science fiction story. Shortly after, she began developing and writing what would become the “Order of the Seers” trilogy.

Cerece lives just outside of her hometown of Washington, D.C., with her husband, two children and the family dog, Yoda. 


Books by Cerece Rennie Murphy: 
B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/cerece-rennie-murphy  
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Cerece-Rennie-Murphy/e/B008G6XXBS 

Love and Order of the Seers
by Cerece Rennie Murphy

One of my favorite things about the story of Order of the Seers is the many different types of love 
I get to explore. Romantic love plays a strong role throughout the books, but there is also love of family, love of self, love of community and finally love for the world at large. Let me explain…

Love of Family
The first characters you get to meet in Order of the Seers (Book I) are Liam and Lillith (Lilli) Knight, a brother and sister whose love for each other is about to be pushed to a whole new level. At 16 and 13 years old, respectively, these young people haven’t had a lot of experience with sacrifice. While they both lost their father at a young age, they have lived a normal life in a modest, but comfortable home that their mother provided for them. I’ve always believed that sacrifice is the true measure of love. It’s easy to love someone when there is no inconvenience, no challenge and minimal effort on your part. 

But when love costs you something, that’s when you know its importance in your life. At the tender age of 16, Liam sacrifices a lot for the safety and well being of his sister. The changes to his life are jarring and painful, with consequences he can’t even perceive at the start, but each time he is tested, he makes the choice to protect his sister, to love her, no matter what. And slowly, as Lilli grows and learns what love is through her brother’s selfless example, she returns his love with a commitment and sacrifice of her own. 

Liam and Lilli’s story is just one way that familial love is explored in the books. Marcus Akida’s relationship with Alessandra Pino is another. At the point where you meet Alessandra, she feels as low as a person can feel. She is a slave – exploited for an extraordinary ability that she does not understand and can’t control. Every person, every interaction she can remember in her young life is about someone taking something from her. The people around her feed her, cloth her, keep her healthy only to keep her alive to exploit and she hates herself for it. When she first meets Marcus, she has no idea what to do with his kindness. In fact, she is immediately suspicious. His gentle demeanor is so unfamiliar that she runs from it, until he proves (and she realizes) that he is unlike anyone she’s ever met. 

Not only does he not want anything from her, he wants to offer her something she has no concept of – a vision of herself outside of the exploitation of her daily life, a vision of her own potential, her own value, her own worth. For Alessandra, as with all of us who experience unconditional love for the first time, it is nothing short of revolutionary. Marcus becomes her mentor and friend first, then ultimately her father. And through his love, she becomes unstoppable.

Romantic Love
The first time, Alessandra catches a glimpse of Liam in her future, her entire world shifts. She sees a man who holds her gently, smiles in delight at her presence and promises love with every syllable he utters. The notion that someone could, would and WILL love her that way is intoxicating. That simple vision gives her the courage she needs to risk everything to find him. 

But love, as any mature person knows, is not enough. One of the things I truly enjoy about the love story between Liam and Alessandra is the necessity of finding themselves before they finally find each other. There is a lot of awkwardness and starts and stops, which is fun (and sexy!), but there is also a lot of soul searching. I wanted my characters to walk in to their love knowing their own value and taking the risk, not out of desperation or fear, but out of a real sense of who they are and what they want. By the time our couple comes together, they are two people who understand themselves and can honestly say they want the same things from each other, which makes for a powerful bond to carry them through all the craziness and danger that follows.

Although Liam and Alessandra are the “romantic leads” in Order of the Seers, they are not the only ones. Other characters represent different phases and levels of ``romantic love that take you on a journey from the heights of physical love to the depths of a truly inseparable spiritual connection.

Self-love
The journey of the Seers is absolutely one of self-discovery and love. As Seers within the Guild, they are striped of their memories, their identity, even their basic instinct to fight back. The entire context for their being is torn away. In place of these essential elements, they are given a purpose and identity that is solely about serving the needs of others. When the first of this group escapes the Guild, they literally do not know who they are, what they like or dislike or even the extent of their power to see the future. All of this they learn after they leave the Guild and are able to discover and define life on their own. 

For Marcus Akida, his unique resistance to the Guild’s mind-controlling drugs allowed the natural process of his own self-discovery and awareness to remain uninterrupted and, as a result, he becomes the most powerful Seer the Guild has ever seen. Marcus never doubts his value, no matter how he is treated or what they use him for. And he doesn’t stop there. Through his optimism and understanding of his own value, he teaches Alessandra and every person he comes in contact with how to do the same. This profound sense of his own identify – outside of the one assigned to him – allows Marcus to use his gift in a way that no one ever imagined and that spark of authenticity changes the world, bringing down an entire regime. Marcus is who I want to be when I grow up. 

Taming The Female Impostor 
by Dr. Sherine Vie 

"Dr. Vie’s book will inspire many to change their lifestyle and way of thinking for better health, peace of mind and harmony." - Dr. Verma, Ayurveda Doctor, India

Ancient secrets to creating the new woman - feminine, creative and super-conscious. She is the healing power to change the future of our Planet Earth.


Taming The Female Impostor: Book of Secrets to Rescuing Humanity - There is a global crisis where crime, illness and unhappiness are increasing, world-wide. The Book of Secrets uses fantasy characters to unravel shocking new insights into the root cause of the problems, and reveals the Magical Weapons of Veedinti, tools to restore peace, love and joy in your personal life, in your communities, nation and the world at large. 

The book is ideal for men and women, from teens to seniors seeking to improve their lives in general, and especially, in the areas of sexuality, family, food, friendships, work, relaxation and introspection. Through The Great Rescue Game (for children) and Taming the Human Impostor (for adults), you learn how to implement the tools in daily living. Dr. Vie Academy and Dr. Vie Radio Show: “Who Do You Think You Are?” stimulate further interaction.


Book Reviews for Taming The Female Impostor

“Through new insights, Dr. Vie unravels the root cause of the female global crises, and provides powerful practical tools to restore peace, health and vitality,” ~Dr. John Gray, Author, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, San Francisco

“I have worked all of my professional life with high performance women, whether it was a National Team, a University varsity team or our leading entertainment company. Dr. Vie is certainly an elite, high performance person regardless of the field she chooses to endeavor in to! Dr. Vie is a pioneer in each field she chooses to focus on! I’ve loved Dr. Vie SuperFoods since 2007. Now, yet again, through this book she reveals fascinating perspectives and intuitive wisdom, making it a must read, for men also.” ~Boris Verkhovsky, Former National Acrobatics Team Head Coach, Montreal.

"Finally! After millenniums of spiritual teachings primarily by and geared to men, teachings which have dismissed and often denigrated feminine wisdom and power, comes Dr. Vie's much needed guidance to help women cultivate and unleash their essential spirit. And just in time, so we wisely use balance feminine-masculine energy and co-create the healthy and harmonious evolution of humankind."~ Ellen Eatough, MA, Extatica, San Francisco

“The first word that comes to mind is inspiring. One inspiration is Dr. Vie herself who finds her own power in her extraordinary story. Another is the wisdom passed down through the Book of Secrets that tells of the power of women. We don’t always see the power in ourselves, but here in the words of this book it can be found, and self-confidence can flourish.” ~Melissa C. Water, Author, Lady Injury, Toronto

The book integrates lifes most sought after questions into a captivating tale and journey, where the reader can explore who they are, how to find true peace and the meaning of life. Dr. Vie radiates compassion, courage and love as she inspires service to humanity and our great planet.  ~Jenni Parly, Life Coach, Los Angeles

“Every once in a while there comes along a book that captivates the mind and uplifts the soul. This is one of those books. In real life Dr. Vie has managed to maneuver through global cultures with ease and finesse. With the same level of sophistication, she weaves a tapestry of universality in her book. Each of us has the ability to rise above our circumstance, be it racism, sexism, environmental issues or cultural and religious biases. Each of us can choose to reject change and remain the same or board the “Life Express” and embrace the change. This winning book will appeal to a wide range of audiences globally.”  ~Lena McCalla Njee, Author, Autism Inspires. Teacher of the Year 2011-2012, Nominee -2014 Governor of the Year Award, New Jersey 


First Chapter from Taming The Female Impostor

Ch 1.  Who Do You Think You Are?

At 29,000 feet above sea level, the tranquility of the Great Himalayas took Shakti’s breath away. She had waited twenty-five years for this day, for this moment. She had been preparing her whole life for this feeling, this state of being one with her true Self.

The tiny Indian woman, slender at 45kg (99 lbs.) and barely five feet tall, perched her body cross-legged on the bare rock surrounded by an expanse of virgin snow. She drank in the beauty around her, became mindful, lowered her eyelids, and took in a deep breath through her nostrils. She held it as she focused the energy on her third eye. In that moment of silence and super-consciousness, she was one with her true identity. She became a witness of her past life and the future.

As quickly as her rollercoaster past sped before her, the future shone so brightly that it startled her delicate frame. She opened her eyes briefly, took in another deep breath, and started to soar into the oneness of the eternal existence as she began to meditate in the home of the gods and goddesses, the land of her roots. She was blissfully peaceful.

It was only last week that she was in Australia, the country of her birth, spending a quiet Sunday afternoon with her dearest mother. Shakti had not been home for ten years. While sitting at the cozy dining table, she was startled when she said something aloud. It seemed as if the words were pouring out of her being. Once the words were spoken, she knew what was going to happen. Been there, done that! She had experienced that sensation hundreds of times before. . . .

When Shakti was a little girl growing up in Melbourne, she often experienced moments where she would say certain words without much control over what she was saying. It would seem as if someone else were saying those words through her. Strangely enough, within a few months, the very words that she had spoken, like a premonition, would turn into reality. As she grew into a young woman, the time between what she said and it happening became shorter and shorter. Eventually she learned to pay closer attention to the power of her words.

So when she casually said, “Mom, we should go to India,” Shakti’s mother was not at all surprised. Parvathi was quite used to her only child’s adventurous spirit. As her mother, Parvathi had partaken of so many of her child’s amazing experiences around the planet, and she could sense that yet another was unfolding.

Within a week, the Boeing was landing in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji airport, carrying two excited women on board. Their next adventure had begun. They were in India, among over a billion people.

The Last Seer 
by Cerece Rennie Murphy

The Seers face the ultimate challenge in The Last Seer, the third and final book in the Order of the Seers trilogy.

When the fall of one nemesis unleashes an even greater danger into the world, Lilli, Joel and the Lost Seers must stand against a new enemy with the means and the will to destroy all of mankind, starting with those they hold most dear. 

As the Seers mobilize to confront this new evil, the Guild tries desperately to uphold the crumbling world order on which it depends. When their attempts to manage the crisis fail, the members of the Guild are forced to place themselves at the mercy of an unlikely ally.

But the Guild isn’t the only one interested in maintaining control.

An agreement made in secret threatens to destroy any hope of a peaceful alliance before it can be made and as the betrayals unfold, no one is safe against a power that will stop at nothing to get what it wants. To defeat this threat and ensure the survival of the human race, the Seers must push the boundaries of their abilities beyond any limits they have known and risk crossing the line between life and death. 

How far would you go to protect what matters most?


Praise for The Last Seer
"Once enemies the Seers and Guild now have to come together to end a new reign of terror... I can’t say too much as I was already kindly scolded on Twitter for my excitement of the book..., so what I will say is the book series closes with much praise, “That each of us is infinite and capable of wonders.”  --- Reviewed by Black Girl Nerd



Excerpt from THE LAST SEER

Prologue

The Cover of Darkness

Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan


The high-pitched wail of the creatures was deafening as their black wings beat against the red sky. From the caves scraped out of the mountainside, the valley looked desolate, a place of ruin. Beasts ruled the heavens as the damned lay broken below.

And in between, Ghazal, and what was left of her village, huddled, trapped between two hells.

Whether anyone else in the world was aware of what was happening to them, Ghazal had no way of knowing. With the preparations for her dowry, her family didn't have the money to replace their old TV when it died and the radio they had was gone-smashed to pieces in the rush to escape the creatures that now held them confined in their cave.

Barely half an hour before, while the watchmen were catching their first glimpse of something on the horizon, Ghazal's neighbors had only just entered her home, carrying news of strange sightings from around the world-Geneva, London, Paris-places she had read about, but was sure she would never see.

Though at first their forms were little more than blotches against the setting sun, the screeching sounds that echoed before them erased any question in the watchmen's minds about the nature of what approached. Whatever it was meant them harm. They sounded the alarm. Her betrothed, her father, and all the other men of the valley ran forth to set a perimeter and face the threat head on.

The clerics, the women, and the children were left behind to run and endure as best they could. It was just as in her vision.

At the time, Ghazal had called after the men wildly, telling them it was useless, but no one listened. She had to be dragged away in her grief as she saw her vision unfold-bodies thrown, fires burning, and the sound of bones crushed under the weight of merciless feet.

Clarity came at the mouth of the precipice. She looked back at those who had carried and comforted her up the mountain one last time before stepping out onto the cliff's edge. The blue draping of her burka billowed and soared in the hot air as she leapt off into the unsuspecting clutches of a beast that had no hope of surviving what she could do.


Chapter 1: Set in Motion


They drove back to Geneva in silence, each consumed by the dread of what was to come. Occasionally, you could hear the soft vibration of Joel's thumb tapping his phone screen as he made arrangements for a plane to take them back to London, but
otherwise, no one made a sound. Though unspoken, each of them understood that they were listening for the screeching sounds that had been echoing in their ears ever since they left Crane's castle.

"I'm sorry," Lilli finally said to no one in particular as she stared out of the backseat window. Joel tried to bring her closer into his one-armed embrace, but she resisted,
feeling unworthy of the comfort.

"You did everything you could, Lilli. Everything," Joel whispered.

"Yeah. Maybe I did too much. Look at what's happened. There are more, you know, so many more. 'Legions', he said, and I can feel them. I know Maura can too, like a darkness spreading."

"This wasn't your fault," Joel tried again, but his words made no difference.

"He was their leader. He kept them...contained," Lilli continued. "But now...I've unleashed them. They follow no one."

"How do you know this?" Joel asked. He had no choice but to focus on her words. Her mind was moving too fast for him to comprehend.

Lilli turned from the window to face him. For an instant, she wondered why he didn't know the answer, just as she did. But then she felt it, the incongruence in their thoughts.

For the first time since they'd met, she realized that her consciousness had become somehow separate from his, and the new distance hurt her deeply.

"Because I know." Lilli answered with tears burning in her eyes.

As Joel watched them run silently down her cheeks, he understood what she was trying to tell him. From the place she now inhabited, she could sense them clearly. She could see and understand more than she ever had before.

It won't be long, he thought. I will join you whenever we decide.

Lilli nodded her head slightly after shooting a quick glance at Liam in the driver's seat.

Closing her eyes, Lilli willed her thoughts to slow until she could feel her connection with Joel restored.

Yes, she answered in relief, after we tell him. We'll wait until then.

Having resolved at least one of the many problems that plagued her mind, Lilli finally allowed herself the comfort of Joel's embrace. She'd just begun to release the tension in her body when Liam spoke up.

From the driver's seat, Liam had been listening in on their conversation, hoping to glean something that would explain what they'd witnessed. But just as she and Joel had finally gotten to the heart of his questions, they fell silent. As the quiet stretched on, Liam risked an impatient glance in the rear view mirror to find them engrossed in silent conversation.

"Ah, you guys mind sharing with the rest of the class?" Liam asked. "Who or what was that back there? I'd like to know what we're dealing with."

"The demon you saw was Crane," Lilli explained. "I killed him, but in doing that I think I've unleashed something worse. Something that was at least partially under control before, but now...now, they are more dangerous."

"The creatures..." Liam said.

"Yes, they were with Crane. But those were just a few. There are more-many more-that have been unleashed because of me."

Liam squinted at his sister in the rearview mirror. "Why do you keep saying that-'because of me'? Even you have blind spots, Lilli. How could you have known? You were fighting for your life." When she didn't immediately disregard what he'd said, Liam seized the chance to ask one of the questions he really wanted to know.

"And how did you kill him, by the way? You didn't even lift a finger. You just...spoke to him. I've never seen you do that before. When did you learn that?"

As Liam was talking, Alessandra turned in her seat to look back at Lilli. She had seen the difference in Lilli as soon as they broke down the castle door. In the heat of the moment, Alessandra hadn't given it any thought, but looking at her now, even the feeling of Lilli's presence in the Collective was different. Brighter, but somehow more dispersed.

Don't say anything! Please! Not yet.

Alessandra heard Lilli's pleading words in her mind clearer than she ever had before. Not spoken through the Collective, but directly into her thoughts.

Why? She asked silently.

Because I am becoming something different...

Alessandra eyed Lilli and Joel suspiciously, but said nothing as she processed the warning in Lilli's words-the clear notion that "different" was not a good thing in this case. Liam, she realized. This is about protecting Liam.

Yes, Lilli answered while keeping her outward attention on her brother.

Alessandra hesitated for only a moment before turning back around in her seat. Whatever Lilli had to say would hurt Liam and as far as Alessandra was concerned, there was no need to do that now.

Before her silent exchange with Alessandra was over, Lilli answered her brother aloud, as if theirs was the only conversation taking place.

"No, I didn't know this would happen, but I should have tried to see it. I was just so focused on him not hurting me or you guys that I just wanted him gone."

Liam was quiet again, considering the few facts he knew with the guilt he could still hear in Lilli's voice.

"Listen, you did what you had to back there. Demons, flying creatures, whatever-this whole thing is crazy. Crazy. I don't think any of us could have imagined how deep this thing really is. We still don't even know exactly what we're into now, so let's just try to make it home, regroup with the others, and figure this out. We're going to figure this out, Lilli. Don't worry."

As Liam watched her from the rearview, Lilli made sure she gave him the small smile he was looking for even though she wasn't at all sure that what he said was true.

Satisfied that Lilli seemed a little more settled, Liam shifting his attention to the shaken man directly behind him.

"What about you, Christof?" Liam asked. "Should we drop you somewhere or are you coming with us?"

Christof turned his weary gaze away from the blurred landscape outside his window to meet Liam's eyes in the mirror.

"Where else am I going to go?"


( Continued... )


© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Cerece Rennie Murphy. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.


PURCHASE THE ORDER OF THE SEERS BOOKS: 
http://www.amazon.com/Cerece-Rennie-Murphy/e/B008G6XXBS 


The Journey Begins with Order of the Seers - Book I in the Order of the Seers Trilogy
Link: http://amzn.com/0985621001  

The Journey Continues with The Red Order (Book II in the Order of the Seers Trilogy)
Link: http://amzn.com/0985621028  

The Journey Ends with The Last Seer (Book III in the Order of the Seers Trilogy)
Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Order-Seers-Last-Seer-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00MQZRXL6 

He Wasn't My Daddy
My Road to Restoration and Redemption 
by Kristin L. Mitchell 

He Wasn’t My Daddy is a memoir that speaks to several different platforms, which I have personally experienced, throughout my life. Fatherlessness, promiscuity, mental illness (depression) and suicide are all issues that have plagued my life in very negative ways. After several stints in psychiatric wards, I came to the realization that I was tired of being alive and not living. I decided to begin the journey of taking my life back and really doing the work to uncover the hidden truths behind why I was so broken. I realized that not having the love of my father, led me to suffer through a long road of depression, try and commit suicide twice and I coped with it all through sex.

I wrote this book for two reasons - the first, for cathartic purposes and the second, to help others who have struggled through the same or similar issues. I have become keenly aware of so many hidden truths, of my own, and have been able to help to heal those wounds. I wish to share the knowledge that I have learned, the healthy coping skills that I have developed, and the skill-sets that I have developed, in order to help women to gain the knowledge and do the work, required to heal themselves.

Although the title of the book is, He Wasn’t My Daddy, I want people to understand that this book is not just for people who did not have a father in the home. Do understand that being fatherless doesn’t mean that your father is not in the home. You can be fatherless with a father who comes home, daily. Your father can be emotionally and mentally absent. More than that, he can be physically absent, while he is in the household, because he can be non-participatory.

Aside from fatherlessness, this book discusses depression, in detail. It also discusses suicide, which is a symptom of depression, and promiscuity, as well. I want people to understand that just because you come from a dual parent household, with a favorable socio-economic status, and a favorable educational background, does not mean you are exempt from the issues that are discussed in this book.

I want to touch the lives of many, and spark a dialogue about these issues so that optimal healing can take place.

Excerpt: He Wasn't My Daddy: My Road to Restoration and Redemption 

Chapter 17

My Ah-Ha Moment


“I learned that I had depended on the approval of other people to validate my self-esteem and worth.”

It is necessary to sit in your discomfort in order to break unhealthy attachments. Whenever I feel weak, I pray, I journal, I read previous journal entries, and I remind myself of things I have discovered and why I am doing this. Sometimes, we have to make difficult decisions in order to save ourselves.

While revisiting pages of my journal, I came across an entry that I wrote to myself. This journal entry was an ah-ha moment for me. This was a time in my life when I decided to live for me and me alone.


Dear Lonely Kristin:

I notice you tend to surface when nobody is around. When you are not in a relationship and when you are not around friends and family. You always need someone around, or to know they are coming back and distinctly yours in order for this emotion to be suppressed. This is evident that you have not built a satisfying relationship with yourself. You believe you are not good enough for certain people because you have yet to learn how to be good enough for yourself. This revelation makes you want to begin the process of building that satisfying, enjoyable relationship with yourself. But how? Perhaps spending time alone and doing fun things alone. This way, you may discover more of your positive attributes. Once you discover them and believe them, you will rely less on others being around you to make you feel comfortable and secure. Being alone or without a relationship should not make you feel lonely. I wish you did not have to be with someone romantically in order to not feel lonely. This notion evokes another emotion—sadness. Being lonely makes you feel sad because it’s an empty feeling. Your goal is to strive to be satisfied with self, as not to need anyone around for companionship (a man) to feel complete, secure, and not lonely. Love, date, and truly take care of yourself as you would expect a man to.

Signed, Lonely Kristin 

I learned that I had depended on the approval of other people to validate my self-esteem and worth. How people reacted to me and what they thought of me was what I was excessively dependent upon because I validated myself through other people’s eyes. Growing up, I never received validation from my father. Yet, from Lenny, I received validation at every turn. I also learned a lot about being a fatherless daughter. While living in Fatherless Land wasn’t a big Disneyland, it taught me a few things about myself and why I gravitated toward Lenny. Without realizing it, Lenny took over the role of being my father. He did everything a father does for his daughter. He protected me. He made me feel loved. He motivated and inspired me toward my goals. He nurtured me and taught me about relationships. 

While our relationship was muddy at the end, in the beginning, we were like a hand and glove. He took care of me. Everything I missed from my father, I gained from Lenny. He cherished me and he put me first. Something I never got from my father. My relationship with my father is slowly building, but the choices he made in life to keep his family in a certain lifestyle jeopardized my life. It made me fatherless. My father’s absence in my life caused a natural reaction, which was to constantly blame myself and become fixated on my shortcomings. I suffered from low self-esteem, which then affected other aspects of my life. This negative sense of self resulted in depression that still comes and goes. I was a fatherless daughter who sought a father’s love through a man who took on the responsibility of being my father.

That was yesterday. Today, I can honestly say I am whole because I have two fathers—Ray and Dad—and I know what a father’s love genuinely feels like.


Chapter 18

Restoration and Recovery—It Comes Full Circle


“Time will reveal.”

Restoration brought everything full circle. I thank God for the order He restored in my life, the relationships He mended and the positive way He allowed me to move

forward, leaving so much pain behind, putting peace in my heart and opening doors and opportunities for me to share my story. I chose the subtitle: My Road to Restoration to show how my life has come full circle, and relationships mended because of this journey. All of this aided in a new and better me. I am not perfect, but I am on my way to being a more complete and fulfilled me.

My road traveled has not been easy. However, I was willing to put in the work and the results are so with it. I committed myself to restoring Kristin. I put my mental health and me first.

I have a team of people that help keep me together—two therapists and a psychiatrist. Some people in the African- American community shy away from therapy. For some reason, there is a stigma associated with therapy. Why is that? Just as it is important for us to be physically and spiritually healthy, it is also important to be mentally healthy. There is nothing wrong with therapy. It allows you to heal from past wounds, making sense of things that you may be unclear about, learning more about yourself, finding a direction for your life that will positively propel you forward, and so much more. We must invest in our mental health....


( Continued... )


© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Kristin L. Mitchell. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. 


About the Author
Kristin L. Mitchell, M.Ed. is a native Washingtonian. She graduated from Spelman College and George Mason University, with high honors and degrees in education and special education. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and enjoys a career as a special education teacher with the District of Columbia Public School system. 

He Wasn't My Daddy: My Road to Restoration and Redemption by Kristin L. Mitchell 

Kindle Edition- http://www.amazon.com/He-Wasnt-Daddy-Restoration-Redemption-ebook/dp/B00NF5JRJW

NOOK eBook- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/he-wasnt-my-daddy-kristin-l-mitchell/1120324025 

Relentless by Patricia Haley and Gracie Hill

Scarred by a childhood betrayal, Attorney Maxwell Montgomery vowed never to let his fate be dictated by anyone – not his parents, or God, and definitely not the church. He doesn’t need anyone including the woman who’s put her life on hold for him. He’ll be successful, powerful and rich enough to avoid ending up like his father. Maxwell’s on top of the world and isn’t ready for what’s heading his way.

The Redeemed Series is comprised of modern stories, loosely based on the attributes of the Apostle Paul and struggles he encountered with churches in the New Testament. Relentless is the first book in the series.


Excerpt from Relentless


Adrenaline surged. Maxwell couldn’t think of a greater satisfaction than hearing the jury foreman echo those melodious words, “We find in favor of the plaintiff.” The sum of the judgment didn’t quench his legal thirst, although four million dollars wasn’t bad for a day in court. Best news was that there were plenty more to come. So long as there were churches on earth, the exhilaration surfing through his body was a sensation he could ride indefinitely.

Maxwell saw the wave of reporters waiting on the courthouse steps. He jiggled the knot on his tie and straightened his Armani suit coat. “Are you ready to face the crowd,” Maxwell asked his client.

She grabbed his arm, shaking. “Do we have to go out there? Now that we’ve won, I just want to get out of here.”

Absolutely not is what he should have told her, but there was no need for further convincing. He’d proven that his plan worked best. She was walking out with a civil case victory against the almighty Reverend Morgan, the so-called anointed leader of one of the largest ministries in the tri-state area. Whatever he was supposed to be, reverend, doctor, Bishop, the well-deserved label of being a bona fide predator could also be added to his bio. No way was Maxwell going to pass up a prime opportunity to shout their victory over the airwaves. He’d send a message to the rest of the perpetrators that there would be no rest as long as Attorney Maxwell Montgomery was alive and breathing. Churches were on notice and they’d better take him serious.

He expeditiously ushered his client towards the door. She gave some resistance which didn’t deter his movement. Six months ago she was deemed a fired disgruntle employee who was pressing false charges against one of the most prestigious ministers in Philadelphia . He kept pulling her towards the door, with the media closing in. Thanks to him, her indiscretions had been legitimized. It was no longer her fault, and on top of it, she was going to get four million, less his forty percent cut. So, as far as he was concerned, she didn’t get a say in how the rest of the day was going to play out of course. He forcefully pushed open the door leading from the courthouse and braced against the gust of wind.

The clicking sound of cameras, microphones shoved near his face, onlookers lining the steps, and incoherent chants equaled mayhem for most. But the controlled chaos was a work of beauty to Maxwell. His client was squeezing his arm so tightly that he had to peel a few of her fingers back to loosen the grip.

“Do you feel vindicated?” one reporter blurted out. 

As his client stammered, Maxwell jumped in. Microphones honed in. “Justice was rendered today. The past six months have been a pure nightmare for my client. Her reputation has been maligned. She’s been hounded by church members simply because she was willing to come forward and expose the truth. She should be praised for her courage, not hounded, and today is the first step towards her getting back to a normal life.”

“Were you really expecting to win such a substantial settlement from a church?”

“It’s the only fair outcome, doesn’t matter if it’s the church or the Vatican , wrong is wrong, and we have the court of law to right those wrongs,” Maxwell echoed, fueled with satisfaction.

“Do you see this as an indictment against religion?”

“No one is above the law.” Maxwell broke the grip his client had, and raised his arm. He knew which network had the largest viewing audience and intentionally pointed his finger directly into their cameras and said, “I’m serving notice to the corrupt leaders out there. If you think the church is going to save you, you’re sadly mistaken. I’m coming for you and you and you.” Maxwell was charged, ready to sail out of the crowd and whisk back to his office to start the next case. He reclaimed his client and began maneuvering through the crowd.

“Attorney Maxwell, is that a threat to all local clergyman?” a reporter asked.

Maxwell screeched to a stop. “I don’t make threats, only promises.”

“How many more lives are you going to ruin,” a voice shouted from the crowd. The mob was thick and Maxwell couldn’t see who was speaking. “You have ruined my family and our church.” As the woman got louder, it was like a pebble rippling in a pond. The crowd backed up and the media swarmed to her. “Who do you think you are, God?”

Suddenly there was a thumping sensation smothered by oos and ahs. The air felt light and the sky hypnotic. He seemed to be floating to the ground. Screams and a bunch of chatter faded out. Maxwell could see the people crowding around him. Every action was in slow motion. He wasn’t sure but guessed that this must be what peace felt like, being oblivious to pain, shielded from the chatter, naysayers, and circumstances. As he was instantly jerked out of the clouds of euphoria, Maxwell’s thoughts crashed back to reality, wielding a powerful headache with it. He placed the palm of his hand against his forehead, pressing in and feeling the coolness right above his eyebrow. He didn’t need to see the blood to know it was there. 


( Continued... )

© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the authors, Patricia Haley and Gracie Hill. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. 


Purchase Relentless by Patricia Haley and Gracie Hill 
Redeemed Series Book 1; Released on October 28, 2014 
Genre: Drama, Faith Based; Clean Fiction with adult issues

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/relentless-patricia-haley/1118612869 


Meet the Authors
PATRICIA HALEY is a trailblazer in the modern-day Christian fiction genre. She is an award winning, #1 Essence national bestselling author of twelve faith-based novels and two anthologies. She’s a senior project manager, born again believer, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Patricia lives with her loving husband and precious daughter in the Chicago, IL area. Visit her on www.patriciahaley.com. Become a Facebook friend at Patricia Haley-Glass or join her fan page at Author Patricia Haley.

GRACIE HILL is the award-winning author of five faith-based novels. She has also contributed to a book of anthology and written for several magazines. Gracie is an entrepreneur and a Spirit filled woman of God. She is a member of the Chicago Writers Association and lives with her husband and children in the Chicago, IL area. Visit her at www.graciehill.com. Follow her on Facebook and become a Facebook friend at Gracie Hill.

Contact Gracie Hill: www.graciehill.com, info@graciehill.com 
Contact Patricia Haley: www.patriciahaley.com, phg@patriciahaley.com 

What If It Feels Good by D.J. McLaurin

In this story of love, betrayal, and revenge, bonds are tested, friendships are challenged, dark secrets surface and an epic romance blossoms amidst a media circus.


Michael Bagley, street savvy and beautiful, learned the art of the con and sleeps with older women to survive. When an accidental shooting sets off a citywide manhunt and thrusts Michael into certain danger, his mother, a stripper at a local nightclub, is finally forced to confront the biological father who didn’t know Michael existed. Soon, Michael finds himself whisked off the streets of Detroit and into a world of champagne dreams with more money at his fingertips than he ever thought possible.

But Michael’s life takes a bizarre turn as he bonds with his newfound father’s best friend. Chachi is a charming, down-to-earth ladies’ man, who awakens sensations Michael can’t explain, throwing him into identity turmoil. When the dust settles, Michael learns that neither riches, fame, nor age has anything to do with love.

As Michael struggles to find his place in a new world, he hopes the streets have toughened him enough to hold on to a secret relationship that may be against the odds and out of his league, and win the fight for the love of his life. 

Book Review Written by Minnie E Miller

Looking for love, wherever!

In “What If It Feels Good?” D.J. McLaurin makes it clear in her opening that Michael Bagley is not your typical teenager. McLaurin’s skillful mapping of Michael’s life would seem to some “unspeakable.” Conversely, to Michael it was a matter of survival. Michael runs head-on with his mother’s boyfriend because of his abuse, which leads to a near fatal conflict between the two, causing the 14-year-old kid to escape into the streets, and live among the homeless. Legal trouble lands Michael into a home for adolescent boys. A friend of Michael’s biological father begs and threatens him into rescuing his bastard son, and taking him into his established family. Michael goes from rags to riches under Joe’s roof. The mixture is not mixing well, however. 

Young Michael’s needs overpower his logic, and he falls in love with an older man, who is fascinated by the young boy’s wit and wisdom, feels he is 14 going on 30. The odd couple receives constant blows to the stomach about their relationship, especially from an ex-girlfriend. This novel makes it even more evident that the need for love does not go away unless it’s satisfied, no matter the age. As I sat glued to D.J.’s novel, my emotions were on a roller coaster ride. I felt fear, anger, happiness, and sadness for Michael.

D.J. McLaurin is a professional author with undeniable talent, depth, and perception. She made a believer out of me, a seasoned woman, and author. I give the novel 5 stars.

Review written by Minnie E Miller, Author
http://msminerva.wordpress.com 
minnie247@sbcglobal.net
minniemiller247@gmail.com

Book Excerpt: What If It Feels Good 

The phone rang. Michael ran to it.

“That little fool!” Sarah screeched. “He hung up on me!”

“Who?” Michael asked.

“I called the number you gave me and respectfully asked to speak to Joe, right? Why did that little prick ask me how I got the number? Like it was any of his business!”

“Who, ma?”

“I oughta hop a plane right now and go beat the crap out of him! I see what you mean now, honey! I don’t want you there anymore!”

“Ma, what are you talking about? Who hung up on you?”

“David! I asked to speak to Joe and he told me he couldn’t take my call, and just hung up on me--”

Michael dropped the phone and headed for the door.

“Uh, Oh,” Eric muttered. He and Leah scurried after him.

“What’s going on?” Leah asked as they descended the staircase. Michael ignored the both of them.

“Look man, this is just ridiculous!” Eric put his hand on Michael’s shoulder but, with a shake, Michael sent him sailing down several stairs before Eric was able to stop his fall by grabbing hold to the banister railing. 

Michael searched rooms, kicking doors open, until he found David in Joe’s study, reading an investment magazine. David spun around in surprise.

“You hung up on my mother, you little prick?” Michael growled.

“Wha….?” 

Michael’s fist made contact with David’s jaw, knocking him backward out of his chair.

“Daaaad! Daaaad!” Leah shrieked. 

Michael grabbed David by his shirt collar and punched him over and over again. 

Eric made a fruitless attempt to separate them before Joe and Dominic came rushing from the adjoining office.

David’s shirt was already splattered with the blood oozing from his nose and mouth when Joe reached them. 

“Stop it!” Joe demanded. He wrapped his arm around Michael’s neck and attempted to pull him away from David. He underestimated Michael’s strength and all three of them went toppling forward. 

Dominic wedged his body between the two boys to help separate them. It finally worked. 

“What is your problem?” Joe yelled at Michael. 

“You too!” Michael spat at him. 

Joe touched his hand to his face and watched the wet stuff drip down his finger in disbelief. “He did not just spit on me…” he said, his eyes widening then shrinking as his face darkened.

“I hate all of you!” Michael shouted. His chest heaved, his eyes were red with anger. “You think you’re gonna treat my mother like a piece of shyt, you good-for-nothing, stuck up--”

Joe dived on top of Michael. 

They tussled on the floor before Michael twisted from underneath his father. He sprang to his feet with the agility of youth, fist raised and ready. 

Joe stood too, aghast with shock. “How dare you,” he snarled, seething with anger. 

Eric, Leah, and David huddled behind Dominic, watching helplessly. 

“Oh, you’re a man now?” Joe challenged Michael, his chest laboring. “You think you’re man enough to take me, Michael? Cause if you think so, let me know, and I’ll beat your ass like a man!” 

“I swear,” Michael panted, “you hit me, I’ll kill you.”

Joe slapped Michael’s face with a force that sent him reeling. 

Michael responded with a right hook, grazing Joe’s chin. Stunned, Joe cradled his face. He’s dealing with no ordinary boy. 

Michael darted across the room and headed for the stairs as soon as Dominic was able to detain Joe. 

Joe shook himself from Dominic’s grip. Leah ran for the phone. 

Michael raced for his bedroom, attempting to push the door closed behind him, but Joe was already at the threshold. Using his foot and shoulder, Joe pushed his way in, slamming and locking the door behind him. 

Michael retreated to one side of the bed, Joe the other, out of breath, gazes locked. 

Outside the door, Lydia and Dominic pleaded with Joe. 

“So, whatcha think now, Michael?” 

Michael’s shoulder’s sagged. “Just leave me alone!” he pleaded. 

Joe lunged across the king-sized bed and grabbed him.

“What’s wrong?” Joe asked, his face distorted and close, his breath coming fast, “Something wrong?” 

Michael shook his head frantically. 

“Oh, you’ve decided you don’t wanna be a man now, huh? C’mon Mike, make up your mind! You’re a man or a boy!”

Michael shut his eyes tight and lowered his head.

A key turned in the door. 

Joe yelled, “Don’t come in here!” He turned back to Michael “I didn’t hear you.” 

“I’m not a man,” Michael whispered, humiliated. He just wanted it to stop. This dude had gone mad. 

“Oh, now I hear you,” Joe’s eyes were shining. “You’re a boy now. Good.” He shoved the boy onto the bed and unbuckled his belt, removing it from his pants loops. “Now I’ll just beat your ass like a boy.” 

Joe sat in his office and swiveled in his chair. He could hear the commotion outside his door. Lydia, crying, begged for him to come out. Jake’s voice trailed toward the staircase. More muffled voices, then Dominic was at the door making his appeal.

Joe knew he screwed up. He was upset with himself for losing control, but he was not crazy and he knew he had not done enough harm to cause Michael any permanent damage. The phone on his desk rang. He figured it was Chachi or maybe Sarah, or whoever. It didn’t matter. He was going to handle this his way. It wasn’t until Steven showed up, furiously banging on the door that he decided to emerge.

“Come out you crazy bastard! You coward!” Steven shouted. 

Joe yanked the door open. Steven stared at Joe with rage-inflamed eyes. Joe leaned casually against the frame.

“You beat that little boy like that?” Steven yelled.

Joe waved a hand at Steven. “He’ll be okay.” He turned back into his office. 

Steven stormed in behind him. “Okay? Are you crazy? That boy is up there hanging by a thread! You almost killed him!”

Joe walked over to his desk and sat down. “If I was trying to kill him, he’d be dead.”

“You think this is a game, don’t you?” Steven bent over Joe’s desk to meet his face. 

“What’s your point, Steven?” 

“My point? I’ll show you my point!”

Dominic and Jake had come in quietly. Steven had almost run the two of them down storming out of the office.

“Where are you going?” Dominic grabbed Steven’s arm.

“I’m taking him out of here!”

“Don’t you touch him!” Joe shouted. Steven turned to look at him. “He’s my son, and I say don’t touch him!” 

Steven breathed deeply. “I’ll file a motion in the morning to have this child snatched from you so fast it’ll make you dizzy!”

“Do what you have to do,” Joe warned. “But don’t you touch him.”

Steven spun around, but Jake blocked his path. 

“Wait a minute!” Jake pleaded. “Joe, what’s going on?”

Joe exhaled. “I know I lost it.” He shot a hot glance in Steven’s direction. “But I’ve got it under control now.”

“You need to see a doctor!” Steven charged.

“I need to see a doctor?” Joe flushed. “The boy spit on me! Spit! And he punched the shyt out of my face!” Joe turned his head to the side to display a bruised chin. “And yes, I beat his ass, and nobody is gonna come into my house and tell me how to raise my kids--not you,” he pointed at Steven, “not the judge, not the police!”

“You’re sick!” Steven shouted.

“Is he gonna be okay, Jake?” Joe asked as coolly as if he were asking about the weather.

“He’s got a bloody nose and some cuts as well as some bruising. He’ll be sore but he’ll be okay,” Jake said.

“Good.” Though Joe smiled, his eyes did not. “See?” he said turning to Steven with a sneer. “Now get the hell out of my house!”



( Continued... )

© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, D.J. McLaurin. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this sneak peek.


Purchase What If It Feels Good by D. J. McLaurin  
Contemporary, Alternative Fiction 

An Elderberry Fall 
by Ruth P. Watson 

This sequel to the historical bestseller Blackberry Days of Summer reunites the people of Jefferson County, Virginia, with yet another murder and the resurrection of an evil thought to be dead and gone.

As she adjusts to a new beginning in Richmond, Virginia, Carrie Parker finds herself juggling motherhood, work, school, and increasing strains on her new marriage to Simon. Carrie and Simon are happy parents, but sometimes Carrie feels there’s something dark and evil about her little baby’s eyes, and it scares her. She vows he will not be anything like his real father—a beady-eyed womanizer now long gone.

But the past has a strange way of creeping back into the present…

Just as the dust is settling on the murder of Carrie’s stepfather, Herman Camm, everybody in Richmond is shocked to find out his memory is not yet gone. Did he really die? And what part did Carrie play? Soon she is forced to answer questions and return to a past ridden with abuse, corruption, scandal, and deceit. Will she be able to move on with her life, or will the past follow Carrie and her family wherever they go?

An Elderberry Fall - Chapter 1

On February 4th, 1921, I gulped a breath of fresh air before I took the last step down the train steps onto solid ground. The brisk wind caressed my skin, and alerted me to a new reality. “So this is Richmond, Virginia,” I said to myself, gazing around at the cobblestone sidewalks and cars. My six-month-old son, Robert, had his head resting on my shoulder as I struggled with my overloaded suitcase, straining every muscle in my body, but I could not have cared less. Who would have believed a young girl like me would be here—in the big city, with streetcars and tall buildings and with colored people strutting around in fine, fashionable outfits, like the kind white folk wore in Jefferson County on special occasions? The coloreds appeared proud, like they owned the town. It felt good, and I fought to slow my heart down from the rush of anxiety. It was certainly different here. Most of the folks I knew probably thought I would live forever in Jefferson County amongst the sour memories and shame from the child I bore out of wedlock. But I was not so ready to stay there. When Simon asked me to come to Richmond, Virginia, my real transformation began.

• • •

My child, Robert, is beautiful. He is almost flawless. Each day I study the ridges around his little fingers, waiting to see if his tan color and fine features and that innocent, charismatic smile will remain. He favors me for the most part. However, there are times when his eyes seem dark and mysterious, and it sends chills throughout my body.

Robert, Simon and I live in a small apartment on the west side of Richmond—Jackson Heights, they call it. It’s the colored section of town. It is a fine neighborhood, with shrubbery and flowers planted tastefully in front of well kept tenement houses and single-family row homes. Our place is a small, brick, two-story house with a cast-iron fence around it. Alongside the yard is an elderberry bush, which reminds me of the sweet jam Momma made in the fall. Most of the neighborhood residents are colored and oblivious to the surrounding communities. Everything seems to be within walking distance—the grocer, tailor, the cobbler, and the feed and seed store. The corner store has everything we need. Farmers are unloading crates of vegetables every day, and hanging inside are hams, and there is a meat counter where slices of select meat can be packaged. It is well stocked, and I am overwhelmed that I no longer have to work in a field with the hot sun beaming down on me. Simon has a rooster and two hens in the backyard, mainly for eggs. But, I can imagine them on the table stuffed with cornbread dressing.

We share our backyard with a couple downstairs. They are on the front porch every day sitting in a porch swing with wide smiles swept across their faces as if the stresses of life had floated past them even though they are different from others in the neighborhood. Most people stare transfixed by their difference. The lady is white, very pale, and the man is colored. Most feel their living together is a disgrace to everyone around them. It is alright with me because they seem happy. And from where I come from, happiness is the center of life and satisfaction. 

The man is tall and very dark, almost as dark as a midnight sky. He is clean, somewhat handsome and solid in build. She is a petite lady of normal height, a brunette, with barely any frown lines or wrinkles and sky-blue eyes. The Halls are at least sixty years old, but they don’t look it. Directly across the street from us is another strange, but beautiful couple. The man is rugged in appearance like most railroad workers. He has long lashes like those of a woman, thick bushy hair and flawless caramel skin. Though handsome, he is never well-groomed. His wife is also attractive. She is dark chocolate with a lot of hair that falls to her shoulders, and bounces as she walks; her pouty lips are the kind the old people swear are sexy. Those neighbors have two children. Simon and I are getting used to the newness of city life, the sounds of the streetcars, the pinging of the church clock, and the whispers of voices walking down the street. On steamy summer nights, the neighborhood seems to explode. Vague voices and outbursts of laughter are heard from blocks away. It’s a jovial place. The sounds of crickets chirping are drowned out by the hissing of the steam shooting out of the trains and streetcars starting and stopping along its route through town. The action is hypnotic. I find myself loathing going to sleep, because I relish the sounds of city life so much. It is invigorating.

I can’t help wondering about Momma and her life in a world shadowed with trees. She is alone now, with painful memories about a time all of us would love to forget. But, somehow the past always come back to you in some form. Carl, my brother, is still in Jefferson County, and yards away from my mother. He is just like my papa, strong-willed and no-nonsense. He is the strength she needs right now. When Camm was murdered, I’d waited for her to lose it all—break down in tears—but instead her face appeared less tense, relaxed. Just like for me, a burden had been lifted from my mother’s shoulders.

Simon is all I need right now. He is such a handsome man, physically and mentally strong. He is truly mine in every form, something I never thought would happen; and I adore ever inch of his being. I quiver sometimes just thinking about how complete he makes me feel. “Oh, Lawd, is this right?” I say to myself, and feel warm chills travel over my skin. He says he loves me, and acts like it, too. He is so attentive to me and Robert. Along with most women we are around, the lady across the street is always staring at my husband. I smile shyly at her, knowing she’d better stay in her place, because he has chosen me. 

( Continued... )


© 2014 All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Ruth P. Watson. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the author's written permission. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. 


About the Author
Ruth P. Watson is the author of Blackberry Days of Summer. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and son. She divides her time between being a business owner, writer, and educator. She has a master’s degree and is currently working on a new novel and documentary.


Purchase An Elderberry Fall


Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-elderberry-fall-ruth-p-watson/1117313657 

The Wisdom of the Ancestors Series by Ann Jeffries 

Southern Exposures by Ann Jeffries
Law school student Vivian Lynn Alexander could no longer fight the undeniable truth that she had to end her three-year love affair with her college sweetheart, Carlton Andrews, to have the career she dreamed about in law. Nor could she deny a growing interracial passion that she felt for former basketball icon Chuck Montgomery—that is, until she met his best friend, Derrick “Dunk and Jam” Jackson, who was an even bigger star than Chuck. Both medical doctors now, Chuck and Derrick find that they have no medical skills to keep them both from falling hard for the attractive, young Georgetown Law student.

Kenneth and Benjamin Alexander are brother and best friends, but as different as night and day. Kenneth, the older, the cool, calm and collected President of his San Francisco-based electronics and security telecommunications company, and Benjamin, the dashing young US Air Force jet fighter pilot, stationed in San Diego. Yet they came to the same conclusion: They were both falling in love with the same woman—the beautiful and alluring JeNelle Towson, owner of INSIGHTS, a Santa Barbara landmark emporium of style and grace.

Despite their individual and desperate problems, the three of five Alexander siblings rally at perilous risk to themselves and others they care about when everything is on the line and the weight on all of them is the greatest. Two is company, but three is a family.


Book Reviews for Southern Exposures 
“Ann Jeffries definitely has a skill for storytelling. There is vitality and high drama in Southern Exposures. The author did an excellent job with honing in and focusing on the three main, important characters of which the drama surrounds. I fell in love with the Alexanders. Job well done!” -- Jessica Tillis, Author/Editor 

“Loved the way Ann Jeffries described the activities . . . I felt as though I was there witnessing everything that she was describing. She immediately got my attention with the colorful . . . attention to details. The book is very warm. The characters have to face challenges and each does it in a different way. Loved the focus on loving family—members of the family loving each other and believing in each other.” -- Brenda Irons LeCesne, Esq.

“There are a lot of promising plots within the story. I thoroughly enjoyed . . . this novel. I think Ann Jeffries’ ability to create emotion is a true talent. She did a great job creating suspense. The characters’ stories seemed most authentic and entertaining. Language and dialogue over all . . . is a strong area for Ann. 
-- Karen R. Thomas, President, Creative Minds Book Group

Southern Exposures: Family Reunion  
Purchase: http://amzn.com/099150030X  



Touch Me In The Morning by Ann Jeffries
In Summer County, South Carolina, Satarah Whitfield, head Emergency Room nurse battles to save the lives of countless accident victims of the record-breaking blizzard. She did not have time to think about her husband’s and sister’s betrayal when they absconded with every dime she had leaving their twin boys behind for her to raise. For one patient, a young boy whose name she did not even know, she risks her career to save his life by performing an unauthorized surgery that, if it goes wrong, could land her in prison. She only hopes that, if her own missing son needed extreme measures to save his life, someone would step up to save him.

In Richmond, Virginia, firefighter, Deputy Battalion Chief, Douglas Johnson, is battling to save his career after giving testimony in court against his fire department for malfeasants. That would be enough pressure to contend with, but his young, defiant adopted son is driving him to distraction with his preteen angst. If Doug’s wife hadn’t committed suicide, perhaps he would not feel like throwing in the towel.

When the chips were down neither Satarah nor Douglas have been quitters. So when Douglas learns that his boy was in a near fatal school bus accident on his way to Disney World, a trip that Douglas knew nothing about, his fear for his son’s life chases him to a South Carolina community he has never heard of and to a woman the likes of which he has never met. When these two bruised, but not broken people unite, they battle together to save their future. 

Glorious Sunset by Ava Bleu

King Taka Olufemi has traveled over four hundred years to find the spirit of his murdered queen; he now has three wishes and three days to win her heart … or lose his soul.

African King Taka Olufemi has traveled over four hundred years to find the woman who holds the soul of his murdered queen and he’s a little cranky. With a ruby brooch as his vessel, the former king is forced to grant wishes to ungrateful mortals hoping to one day find, and win, the heart of his lost love. 

But it will take more than good looks, superior intelligence and an impressive pedigree to earn the love of Violet Jackson. The ambitious interior designer doesn’t remember Taka or their history. Love—with its inevitable heartbreak chaser—has no place in Violet’s immediate life plan. All the handsome “genie” can do for her is pony up on the three wishes he’s promised and try not to be a pain while he’s at it.

While the arrogant king is praying for his submissive queen and the faithless object of his affection isn’t praying at all, guardian angel, Aniweto, is praying for them both. With Ani’s help, Taka and Violet’s epic love will be rekindled and this royal couple-behaving-badly will finally earn their happily-ever-after through the grace of the Almighty.


Glorious Sunset Excerpt 

1600 AD: Jaha, West Africa


The acrid smell of a burning village brought King Taka Olufemi awake, sputtering, coughing, and wincing in pain as he did so. Slowly memory returned and with it the horror. He cracked his eyelids open, his eyes immediately burning with the pebbly smoke that floated in a low-hanging cloud. Pushing himself upright from where he lay causing sharp pain to streak through his torso and the agony brought his gaze down as he sucked in his breath and jerked his hands to the source. Seeing the jagged, torn flesh of the wound in his side, the rest of his memory came and with the memory:

“Oh no. No, no, no . . .”

He forgot his pain. He fought off the sway of the world as he stood, struggling to focus and see through eyes watering with smoke and something else he didn’t dare identify. He didn’t need to see when he could smell. He was a king and warrior; battle was in his bones and death always a close companion. He smelled both here.

He looked around. Men, women, children; the massacre was complete. Beyond the hall huts and houses of his village were blackened ash. The air still burned with the stench of fire. He couldn’t understand this. In all his life he’d never seen such brutality, never known such dishonor. Still, he firmed his jaw and kept looking, turning in a wide circle until his feet staggered to a stop before his brain could even register.

His body knew how to find its heart.

He stumbled like a drunkard. When, finally, he was upon her he could only drop to his knees. Agony slammed him like lion strike in the wild. And much like a lion strike, the blow from the magnificent body was the stunner, but then the massive teeth would rip a man’s flesh from his bones as a second course. He felt the teeth ripping his beating heart from his chest and groaned with the searing pain as he admitted to the horror before him.

“Zahara.” He gathered his murdered queen in his arms and breathed into her fragrant hair, tears welling in his eyes. The wrenching that tore through him was brutal; already his body ached, keenly, from lack of her. The panic began, at that moment, threatening to strip away what was left of his sanity. With the madness came the screaming, purging to the only one who could hear him now.

“I am King Taka Olufemi!” he shouted to the universe, with all the power of his soul. “You may take my kingdom, you may take my loved ones and friends, but you may not have her! Do you hear me?”

The room crackled with audible air bubbles. The sound grew in crescendo and the hall lit with a light unseen by most people. Taka had felt this sensation many times throughout his life. It was always followed by the appearance of Aniweto. Ani was his gentle-voiced friend and confidant but he was more commonly known as his guardian angel. The legend of Taka’s easy communication with heaven had always been a blessed thing to him, but the blessings hadn’t helped him today. Knowing the power that brought Ani into his life, he knew his words went straight on high. Right or wrong, today he would use his friend to get his point to the one who had wronged him.

“I’ve given our Father my allegiance and my faith, and this is how He repays me?” he said, his voice hoarse. “My tribe, my people: all gone. And all I would have asked was that you leave one person. Just one person!” 

Hate The Way He Loves Me 
by Stacey Covington-Lee

Love can be beautiful, but what happens when it becomes hostile?  In this electrifying drama, Stacey Covington-Lee brings to light the horrors of domestic violence and the strength it takes to escape it.

Zoe Shaw’s childhood was anything but perfect. She, her sister, Pam, and their mother, Martha, were terrorized by Otis Shaw. The man that vowed to love and protect them had become a drunken, abusive animal that took pleasure in their suffering. But when he begins to look at Zoe with lover’s eyes, she finds herself taking drastic measures to ensure that he’ll never hurt any of the Shaw women again, or so she thinks. When word gets out that Otis may be resurfacing, Zoe, being the strongest of the trio, decides that it’s time for them to move away and start anew.

Desmond Page, Zoe’s best friend, moved away a long time ago. Having had a difficult childhood of his own, he and Zoe found love and acceptance with one another and did their best to shield each other from harm. Now that she’s looking to relocate, he suggests that she join him down south.

Their new home offered everything the Shaw women ever wanted; peace, security, opportunity and even the possibility for love. When Ramon Martinez introduced himself to Zoe, the attraction was undeniable. And despite her better judgment, she allowed herself to fall for the uncommonly handsome business owner. What she didn’t realize was that he was also the product of an abusive home, but unlike her, he chose to follow the example set by his father. His jealousy and insecurity led him to deliver painful consequences for what he deemed inexcusable behavior. But he has clearly underestimated Zoe and the question now is which one of them will survive this battered love? 


Hate The Way He Loves Me Excerpt


It had been a crazy day and the customers were driving Zoe insane. Everything and everyone seemed to be tap dancing on her nerves. She’d even found herself snapping at April, something she’d immediately regretted. Her apology was an offer to buy lunch and thankfully, April accepted.

“So tell me, Zoe, what has you so upset today? You’re not acting at all like your normal self. I’ve never seen you so on edge,” April declared as she took a big bite of her cheese-burger.

“Let’s just say that I had a moment with Ramon this weekend and it left a really bad taste in my mouth. I swear I’ve been annoyed ever since Saturday.” 

“Okay, so what was the moment? I mean how bad could it have been?”

“Long story short, Desi and his partner had a bad fight Friday and Desi went home with me. He spent the night with me, slept in the bed with me and Ramon apparently had a huge problem with it. Had the nerve to try and make me promise that Desi would never sleep with me again. Can you believe that?”

April chewed slowly as she looked around the restaurant clearly avoiding eye contact with Zoe. But after a few seconds she could feel her friend’s eyes burning a hole in her, demanding a reply. “I’m sorry, Zoe, but that doesn’t sound like such an unreasonable request to me. No man wants to think of his woman sharing a bed with another man.”

“Oh come on April, we all know that Desi is gay. He has no interest in anything a woman has to offer. Especially me, I’m like a sister to him for goodness sake!”

“Girl, I’m going to need for you to calm down and lower your voice,” April instructed as she took note of the people in the small diner looking their way. “You asked me a question; you can’t get salty because you don’t like my answer. And I’m not the kind of friend that only tells you what you want to hear, I tell you how I truthfully feel. I understand that Desi is gay, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a man and that is obviously threatening to Ramon.” 

“Clearly we view this differently. To me it seems as if he’s trying to control me. This is how it all starts, they convince you to give up something or someone important to you. Once you cave on one thing, they demand something else until everything and everyone you’ve ever cared about is cut out of your life and all that remains is them.” Zoe’s voice was shaky and tears danced on the rim of her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks.

April reached across the table and took Zoe’s hand in hers. “Honey, why are you so emotional about this and who are you referring to when you say ‘they’ and ‘them’?”

“I’m referring to men. They are all the same, they all want to control every aspect of their mate’s life and I can’t have that. I won’t allow any man to control my life,” Zoe sobbed.

His Until Sunrise by Joy Avery 

After learning her boss has scheduled a mandatory team-building excursion, financial planner Nona Rogers panics. What does she know about camping? Nada. Zilch. Heck, she doesn’t even like picnics. And the thought of sleeping amid bugs and wild animals knots her stomach.

No way can she risk looking like an idiot in front of her colleagues. Taking proactive measures, she acquires the services of a guide to give her a crash-course in camping. Seven days living off the land. How hard could it be? Nona swallows those words when she meets the sexy titan tasked with leading her into the wild. Getting mauled by a bear quickly becomes the least of her worries.

Mason Tinsdale’s first love has always been oil rigging. But a horrible accident has him doubting the job—more importantly, himself. Seven days in the Indigo Falls wilderness is just what he needs to sort out his thoughts. Then he meets Nona Rogers. He’s convinced the gorgeous woman is going to be far more trouble than she’s worth. And he’s right. However, there’s something about the feisty vixen that makes her irresistible.

Two guarded hearts. Seven days alone. An attraction that can’t be denied.


Watch the exciting HIS UNTIL SUNRISE Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/w-pVnUETcfc 


Chapter One Excerpt


When her boss had called her into his office under the pretense of “good news,” Nona Rogers assumed she was on tap for a raise, a bigger office, a promotion, even. No such luck. His idea of good news had been the scheduling of a week long, mandatory, camping expedition.  Camping. She didn’t even like picnics. Nona spurned the thought with the same amount of disdain now as she had a month ago when Mr. White had sat behind his hand-carved desk and shared the news with her.

At least he’d given her enough notice to take proactive measures. Measures that included enlisting the services of a guide to teach her the ins and outs of camping. No way would she be the only one—not to mention only female—on the company outing who couldn’t survive the wilds.

Now here she sat, in the middle of nowhere, with her hired hand, ready to tackle the great outdoors. She was still waiting to discover what was so dang great about it. A rush of Mason Tinsdale’s oaky cologne filled her nostrils when he opened the SUV door. It also filled her with a tingling awareness. God, she loved a good smelling man.

How in the hell could she have forgotten how handsome Mason was? Time did that, dissolved the small things from your memory bank. It’d been over six years since the last time she’d seen him, at her best friend Brianna’s wedding. When she returned to civilization, she would have a few words with the woman. She could have reminded her of how fine he was. 
Good-looking, brawny, and a grieving widower. A dangerous, yet safe combination.

Nona hesitated exiting the black Range Rover they’d arrived in as a mammoth-sized bird—she’d have guessed a pterodactyl, had they not been extinct—soared overhead. The creature showed minimal respect for their higher ranking on the food chain when it dropped a load the size of a dinner plate on the windshield.

Nona’s face contorted into a tight ball of disgust. Gross. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Just one more reason why she shouldn’t have been there—disrespectful wildlife. And as if there weren’t already enough reasons: snakes, bears, rabid foxes, load-dropping pterodactyls…she could add, mouth-watering, drop-dead gorgeous man to the mix.

She and Mason hadn’t spoken much on the drive to wherever the hell they were, because she’d spent most of the four-hour ride typing away on her laptop. Yes, she was supposed to be on “vacation,” but there was work to be done. Always work to be done. She sighed inwardly. She needed a life. One that didn’t consist of all work and no play.

Somewhere between typing a memo and sending emails, she’d fallen asleep; awakening just in time to see the sign on the highway that read: Welcome to Indigo Falls. It’d been the last sign she’d seen before pulling onto a gravel road. She’d never even heard of Indigo Falls. And she’d lived in North Carolina all of her life. The mountains in the distance told her she was far from home, and definitely out of her comfort zone.

The Final Lie: Damon & Octavia 
by Mz. Robinson

Damon and Octavia have been through more than most couples could ever imagine, and managed to survive it all. From love to lies to lust and even murder, they’ve seen it all. Now the only thing the two of them want is to raise their children in peace and love each other to the fullest. There’s just one problem…Damon has one last secret and this secret refuses to die.

When Octavia forges an unlikely friendship with the woman on the other side of Damon’s deception, things get hot and heavy in more ways than one. Soon, Damon is faced with the dilemma of confessing his transgression and losing the woman he loves.

When everything is put on the table and all lies are exposed, will Damon and Octavia’s marriage survive or will everything the two of them have fought so hard to maintain come crashing down, along with their love?


Intimate Conversation with Mz. Robinson

Mz. Robinson, born in Huntsville, Alabama is a licensed Realtor and the author of the tantilizing Love, Lies, and Lust Series. Mz. Robinson is an avid reader and advocate for literacy. Although, she began writing as a child, it was not until much later in life that she began to pen short stories. After falling in love with the characters she created, she turned one of her short stories into her debut novel: What We Won't Do For Love. After completing her first manuscript, Mz. Robinson took a break from writing to pursue other career opportunities. Five years later deciding to pursue her passion, she secured a home with G Street Chronicles. Today Mz. Robinson has ten published novels. When she's not writing Mz. Robinson enjoys reading and shopping. She is currently working on her next title and other projects.

BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book? Why now? 
This is book 7 of the Love, Lies and Lust series. I wanted to tie all the books together and answer any questions my readers may have before ending the series.

BPM: Does your upbringing, prior relationships or life experiences inspire your writing? 
Yes, I use my personal experiences, the lessons I was taught as a child and the errors I’ve made as an adult in each character I write. So, there is a little piece of me in every book.

BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot driven or character driven? Why? 
Some of my books come from my vivid imagination, others come from the things that I’ve done. My books are character driven. I want my readers to know, love and hate the characters in my books. I want them to feel like they’re walking in their shoes, experiencing all their emotions and by doing so I think it further enhances their reading experience.

BPM: Introduce us to your current work. What genre do you consider your book? 
Is this book available in digital forms like Nook and Kindle? My current work is Damon and Octavia: The Final Lie. This book concludes the Love, Lies and Lust series and exposes all the lies and secrets told throughout the series. I consider it to be contemporary fiction and it’s available in all digital formats. It is also coming in paperback soon.

BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters. What makes each one so special? 
My main characters are Damon and Octavia. Damon is special because he’s what I consider a “Bad Boy in a designer suit”. He’s the kind of man that can attend the opera or feel at home at a Hip Hop concert. He’s the perfect “Book Boyfriend”. He’s a professional and a family man. He loves Octavia to the point that he’s willing to do anything to maintain the sanctity in their marriage, including committing murder. Octavia is special because she was once the queen of the phrase: “I don’t need a man”; until she met Damon and he knocked her off her feet and taught her the true meaning of love. She’s strong and although she’s not perfect, she’s a great example of a dedicated wife and mother.

The Black Pearls Magazine family would like to thank each of you for joining us monthly in celebrating the best in literature and the arts.  Our team of writers, bookclubs and authors are so humbled that you have allowed us entrance into your life. It amazes me each month as I check our subscribers how many of  you deem us worthy of your time and support. 

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Ella Curry, President of EDC Creations
Founder & Editor In Chief Black Pearls Magazine