2011 Events
April 9
Barnes & Noble--Cumberland, Local Author Day Book Signing, 2952 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339
1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
April 16
2nd Annual Mississippi Book Clubs Unite, Old Capitol Museum, 100 South State Street, Jackson, MS
1:00-4:00 p.m.
April 23
Black Bestsellers Bash, Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
April 29-31
Romance Slam Jam
Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 7032 Elm Road, Baltimore, MD
Panelist/Book Signing/Workshop Presenter
May 7
Atlanta Georgia Peach Authors Tour, Southwest Branch Library, 3665 Cascade Rd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30331, Book Signing
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
May 7
Empowerment Workshop: Represent Your Company at All Times Through Your Actions, East Point Branch Library, 2757 Main Street, East Point, GA 30344
3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
May 21
Second Saturday Book Club Meeting (Time & Location TBD)
May 24
Total Grace Book Club Meeting, 4000 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30032
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
June 26
Atlanta Georgia Peach Authors Tour, 30 Books in 30 Days Hammonds House Event
2:00 p.m.
July 16
Atlanta Georgia Peach Authors, Ft. Benning, GA
June 30-July 1
Bayou Soul Writers & Reader's Conference
Holiday Inn Downtown Superdome, 330 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Past 2011 Events:
February 12
Fairfield Baptist Church, 6133 Redan Rd., Lithonia, GA
Book Signing at 9:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
When the Fairytale Ends
2nd Book in the Married Series...Excerpt:
Prologue
A bitter, coppery taste filled his mouth and his tongue felt like one huge swollen blister lolling around. Battering rams seemed to simultaneously slam against both his temples. He wasn’t sure if his eyes were open or not because whether open or closed, he seemed to be swimming in darkness, a darkness that was so utterly black, the fear of being blind constricted his heart. He tried to take in a deep breath, but it felt like slabs of concrete were compressing his chest.
“So you finally decided to rejoin the land of the living?”
That voice. Female. Familiar. It wasn’t a stranger’s voice. He tried to place the voice, but the battering rams in his head banged louder. He gritted his teeth against the excruciating migraine pain and tried to reach for his head, only to realize that his hands were restrained at the wrists. Cold restraints. Metal restraints. He strained against the restraints until it felt like he had broken every piece of cartilage in his wrists. He felt the cold metal restraints around his ankles too. Rough, coarse rope kept his knees firmly glued together and the coarseness of the rope dug into the tender skin at the underside of his knees. Though he gave a good struggle, the most he managed to do was to scrape all the skin from around his ankles. But the rope didn’t give an inch.
“You should stop straining like that, Greg. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
There was that voice again. Close to his right ear. Vaguely familiar. And she knew his name.
He tried to place the voice but every time he started concentrating, the battering rams became deafening and pain reverberated back and forth from one to temple to the next. Opening his eyes as wide as he could, he strained to see through the darkness, and finally made out a pair of white eyeballs staring back at him. He licked lips that were Sahara dry and tried to wet his mouth so that he could speak. Only squeaks came out.
“Water?”
He nodded, then instantly regretted it. The battering rams exchanged themselves for band cymbals, pots and pans, fork tines against metal.
Greg felt something cold against his lips and he touched his chin to his chest, trying to sit up as much as he could to sip on the cool water. Each swallow felt like a ball of fire inching its way down his throat and his tongue felt ten sizes too big for his mouth. He scanned his mind, trying to figure out where he was, why was he was restrained, and who was this woman with the voice and glass of water? And how did she know his name?
When he spoke, it sounded like his vocal chords had been grated with sandpaper, and his swollen tongue made him sound funny. “Who are you?”
He heard the smile in her voice. “I could be your fantasy, or your worst nightmare. Which would you prefer?”
Her words chilled his soul and raised goose bumps across his skin. He wet his lips again. “Where am I?”
“Ocho Rios. How could you forget so soon that we’re in Jamaica?”
As soon as she said the words, everything started coming back to him. The money from the will. The trip. His wife. His wife. His wife.
“Where’s Shania? Where’s my wife? Is she okay? What have you done to her?”
“Shut up and settle down,” the woman said, and Greg felt her fingernails start at the inside of his ankle and graze up his leg to his crotch area. She had stripped him of all his clothes. “That little mutt of yours is in good hands. She hasn’t been hurt, and she won’t be as long as you cooperate with us.”
“Cooperate with who? Who are you? What do you want from me?” Greg wasn’t sure which beat louder, his head or his heart. But he knew this much; if they so much as harmed a hair on Shania’s head, even though the Bible said thou shall not kill, God was going to have to forgive him on this one.
“You know exactly what we want, Greg. We want what you stole from us.”
Who is ‘us’? And what in the world had he ‘stolen’? He wasn’t a thief; the only thing he could ever remember stealing was grapes from the local grocery store and that was only because he nibbled on them throughout the store so that when he paid for them, they wouldn’t weigh as much. But other than that, what had he stolen? He wasn’t a taker, he was a giver. They must have him confused with somebody else; that’s what it had to be. They—whoever they was— must have the wrong person.
“You got the wrong person,” he squeaked out. “I swear. It’s not me. I’ve never stolen a thing before in my life.”
Again, her demonic laughter filled the room. “You sure about that, Greg?”
How in the world did she know his name?
“Think long and hard about that.” He listened to her footsteps as she walked around the bed—because that’s what he figured he must’ve been tied down to—and placed her lips merely centimeters away from his left ear. “You stole something from us. And you can either give it to us the easy way,” her claws shot out and grabbed his testicles and she twisted until a scream ripped from his throat, “or the hard way. Whichever you prefer.” She let go of his precious jewels, and as bad as he wanted to hold himself, massage himself, shield himself, the restraints wouldn’t allow his hands to move.
Despite the throbbing in his head, he racked his brain, trying to recall his last memories before waking up in this hell hole. He remembered arriving at the island; he remembered Shania and her horrible attitude; he remembered going to the bar, having a drink with two of the Jamaican guys he had met at the shore to relieve some stress. That was the last thing he remembered, sitting at the tiki bar with those two men, sipping a non-alcoholic pina colada. Though this woman’s voice sounded vaguely familiar, and he was sure if she turned on a light, he could identify her instantly, those two Jamaicans at the bar were complete strangers. He had never seen them a day before in his life. So why would they drug him? And that’s what had to have happened. That was the only explanation for his swollen tongue, the sour taste in his mouth, and this cataclysmic migraine.
But…but…but why would they do such a thing? They didn’t know him. Even though he was wealthy, he didn’t exude wealth. He had worn a pair of sandals, khaki shorts, and a plain white T-shirt. No flashy jewelry or anything of that sort. And he and Shania had stayed in a middle-class hotel. The hotel was breathtakingly beautiful, without a doubt, but it didn’t scream out: The People Who Room Here Are Rich! So why had they singled him out?
“I’ll give you time to think it over, Greg. But when I come back, you better be ready to talk business. You better be ready to agree to everything I ask for. Or else, I will bring your wife’s pretty little fingers to you one by one.”
“You touch her and I will kill you!”
“How? You’re going to spit on me to death? It’s not like you can move.”
Rage forced him to try his best to break through his shackles. He only succeeded in making his headache worse, scratching more skin off his ankles and wrists, and pulling a muscle in his left leg. He screamed out in fury and frustration, frightened for himself but even more frightened for his wife. What if they were lying? What if they had killed her already? And where were those two men? If they weren’t in here with him, that meant that they were in there with her. What had they done to her? What where they doing to her? His vivid imagination alone nearly sent him spiraling over insanity’s edge.
“Help!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “Help! Somebody help! Help me! Somebody help!”
Something long, hard and cold muffled his screams. Even in the pitch black darkness, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that she had jammed the barrel of a gun into his mouth. But was it loaded or unloaded—that was the question. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to find out.
“Pull another trick like that,” she growled, “and you’ll live to regret it. That’s if I let you live.” She shoved the gun deeper in his mouth, until the tip slid down the upper portion of his esophagus. He gagged and his stomach heaved. She snatched the gun out his mouth and he turned his head in just enough time to throw up.
“I’ll be back in an hour or two,” she said. He heard her footsteps retreat, heard a door squeak open before slamming shut. Then he counted at least three deadbolts click into place.
He sat in the dark silence, quiet, listening, making sure he was completely alone while he strained futilely to make out his surroundings. Once he was sure he was in the room by himself, he fought against the restraints with every ounce of his strength, even attempting to twist his arm out of the socket just to get loose. Finally, he gave up and yelled out from the pits of his soul. He held his breath for fear that the door would come open and she would jam the gun in his mouth and this time, pull the trigger. He held his breath in fear that the door would fling open and she’d be standing there, holding up one of Shania’s fingers to show him that her threats were by no means idle. But when seconds ticked by and became minutes, and minutes dragged by for what seemed like lifetimes, he figured he was “safe” for now and prayed that Shania was fine as well.
As he laid there, his arms shackled to either side of the bed, his legs tied at the knees and shackled at the ankles, he felt like a reincarnate of Jesus, just without the nails. Feeling utterly hopeless, hot tears slipped from his eyes and puddle in his ears as he stared up at the ceiling and whispered, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…”
Coming April 2011. Pre-order your copy from Amazon today!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
What skills does a writer need to develop?
This was so good that I thought it was worth sharing. It's a repost from Chip McGregor's site at http://chipmacgregor.typepad.com/
Samantha wrote me this past weekend and asked, "If you were my mentor, what are the skills you would share with me to help me develop a career in writing?" I love the question...may I just create a laundry list as my answer?
1. Develop a writing schedule (i.e., have a time and a place where you write regularly)
2. Have a goal (perhaps "create 1000 salable word per day")
3. Learn to get the words down on paper (you can revise later - it's always easier to edit something than to create something)
4. Create short assignments for yourself (you're not trying to write a book all at once -- if you break it into pieces, you're trying to get each small assignment done)
5. [This is going to offend some people, but hear me out] In the words of Anne Lamott, be willing to create shitty first drafts (okay, forgive the language if it offends you -- that's stolen from Anne Lamott's fabulous book Bird by Bird, and it's one of the best writing lessons ever. So what should I say? "Poopy" first drafts? First drafts of deep doo-doo? It seems weak to say, "Be willing to create first drafts that aren't very good." So...I'll just ask you to live with my colorful use of the language today.)
6. Know what makes a good story (understand what a plot is and how to follow a story arc)
7. Learn to create true-to-life dialogue (nothing keeps people reading more than a great conversation)
8. Establish a place (many novelists has lost the art of establishing a setting)
9. Characters make your story (newer writers often want to focus strictly on plot, but strong characters are what add depth and texture to a story)
10. Understand what makes superb writing (great themes, the deep questions, wrestling with morality, decision making, choices that may not be correct)
11. Learn to organize your life (in the words of management guru Bobb Biehl, everybody needs a calendar, an address system, a filing system, and a "To Do" list)
12. Learn to partner "a big idea" with "great writing" and "a solid platform" (publishers want all three)
13. What is unique about your idea? (Solomon was right -- the writing of books is endless, so figure out what is different or special or fresh about yours... If you can't answer the "so what?" question, you're in trouble.)
14. Establish your voice (the hardest thing to do in writing, but the single most important step to becoming successful)
15. Network so that you can create strong relationships with other authors, with editors, and with publishers (it's who you know in publishing...just like every other business)
16. Know your audience (books are read by individuals, so know exactly which individual is going to be reading your book)
17. Create perfect proposals (work to create a proposal your publisher can't say "no" to)
18. Seek to understand the market (you don't have to be driven by trends, but it's important to know what they are)
19. Understand what helps writing sell (fiction is for entertainment, nonfiction is for education, but great writing for either should change me)
20. Know how to sell (your book, your idea, your self)
21. Establish a relationship with a good agent (there are some lousy agents out there, but a good agent can help shape your career as much as any choice you'll make)
22. Know how to plan a writing career (how to write, what to write, when to write, who to write to, how to move forward, and when to go full time)
23. Be able to read through a publishing contract (understand what you're signing and what it means)
24. Be able to negotiate (even agented authors need some basic negotiating tools)
25. Work hard at marketing (the author is the person most responsible for marketing the book, not the publisher, the editor, the sales team, the publicist, or the marketing director)
26. Know how to manage your money (writing is feast and famine...knowing how to fill in the gaps is a really handy ability)
27. Understand yourself and your writing (plan your work and work your plan)
28. Politeness counts (express appreciation to others -- success should be matched by grace)
29. Learn to give back (every good writer is a mentor who carries on the craft by investing in a protege)
30. Keep perspective on your life and work (publishing doesn't make you smart or pretty or holy; getting your name in print doesn't validate your life)
There you go -- my list of things I'd share with you. If this interests you, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Carolyn See's wonderful little book Making a Literary Life. In it, she encourages authors to write 1000 words and send a "charming note" each day. If you only did those two things, you'd probably be miles ahead of the pack. Maybe the best advice I know.
Samantha wrote me this past weekend and asked, "If you were my mentor, what are the skills you would share with me to help me develop a career in writing?" I love the question...may I just create a laundry list as my answer?
1. Develop a writing schedule (i.e., have a time and a place where you write regularly)
2. Have a goal (perhaps "create 1000 salable word per day")
3. Learn to get the words down on paper (you can revise later - it's always easier to edit something than to create something)
4. Create short assignments for yourself (you're not trying to write a book all at once -- if you break it into pieces, you're trying to get each small assignment done)
5. [This is going to offend some people, but hear me out] In the words of Anne Lamott, be willing to create shitty first drafts (okay, forgive the language if it offends you -- that's stolen from Anne Lamott's fabulous book Bird by Bird, and it's one of the best writing lessons ever. So what should I say? "Poopy" first drafts? First drafts of deep doo-doo? It seems weak to say, "Be willing to create first drafts that aren't very good." So...I'll just ask you to live with my colorful use of the language today.)
6. Know what makes a good story (understand what a plot is and how to follow a story arc)
7. Learn to create true-to-life dialogue (nothing keeps people reading more than a great conversation)
8. Establish a place (many novelists has lost the art of establishing a setting)
9. Characters make your story (newer writers often want to focus strictly on plot, but strong characters are what add depth and texture to a story)
10. Understand what makes superb writing (great themes, the deep questions, wrestling with morality, decision making, choices that may not be correct)
11. Learn to organize your life (in the words of management guru Bobb Biehl, everybody needs a calendar, an address system, a filing system, and a "To Do" list)
12. Learn to partner "a big idea" with "great writing" and "a solid platform" (publishers want all three)
13. What is unique about your idea? (Solomon was right -- the writing of books is endless, so figure out what is different or special or fresh about yours... If you can't answer the "so what?" question, you're in trouble.)
14. Establish your voice (the hardest thing to do in writing, but the single most important step to becoming successful)
15. Network so that you can create strong relationships with other authors, with editors, and with publishers (it's who you know in publishing...just like every other business)
16. Know your audience (books are read by individuals, so know exactly which individual is going to be reading your book)
17. Create perfect proposals (work to create a proposal your publisher can't say "no" to)
18. Seek to understand the market (you don't have to be driven by trends, but it's important to know what they are)
19. Understand what helps writing sell (fiction is for entertainment, nonfiction is for education, but great writing for either should change me)
20. Know how to sell (your book, your idea, your self)
21. Establish a relationship with a good agent (there are some lousy agents out there, but a good agent can help shape your career as much as any choice you'll make)
22. Know how to plan a writing career (how to write, what to write, when to write, who to write to, how to move forward, and when to go full time)
23. Be able to read through a publishing contract (understand what you're signing and what it means)
24. Be able to negotiate (even agented authors need some basic negotiating tools)
25. Work hard at marketing (the author is the person most responsible for marketing the book, not the publisher, the editor, the sales team, the publicist, or the marketing director)
26. Know how to manage your money (writing is feast and famine...knowing how to fill in the gaps is a really handy ability)
27. Understand yourself and your writing (plan your work and work your plan)
28. Politeness counts (express appreciation to others -- success should be matched by grace)
29. Learn to give back (every good writer is a mentor who carries on the craft by investing in a protege)
30. Keep perspective on your life and work (publishing doesn't make you smart or pretty or holy; getting your name in print doesn't validate your life)
There you go -- my list of things I'd share with you. If this interests you, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Carolyn See's wonderful little book Making a Literary Life. In it, she encourages authors to write 1000 words and send a "charming note" each day. If you only did those two things, you'd probably be miles ahead of the pack. Maybe the best advice I know.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
My Mother's Child Blog Tour
RADIO SCHEDULE
March 2, 2010
Real Talk With Tanya White Radio Show (8:40-8:55 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/realtalkwithtanyawhite
(347) 215-6446
March 3, 2010
Abundant Solutions (9:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/asemotivation
(718) 508-9600
March 4, 2010
WordThirst Literary Online Radio Show (8 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ashea-goldson
(347) 324-3749
March 5, 2010
Chocolate Pages Show (6:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chocolatepages
(646)716-8098
April 26, 2010
From The Heart & Soul" with Lady Serenity (7:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/lady-Serenity
(347)838-9657
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
March 1
All the Buzz Reviews
http://www.allthebuzzreviews.com
Urban Christian Fiction Today
http://www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com
Tia's Pen
http://www.Tiaspen.blogspot.com
Sharon Ball
http://www.sharonball.com
March 2
RAWSistaz Literary Group
http://www.rawsistaz.com
Mom Unplugged
http://www.momunplugged.com
Let Us Bear Fruit
http://letusbearfruit.blogspot.com
I Read ...
http://sumanam.wordpress.com/
March 3
SORMAG
http://sormag.blogspot.com/
Simpy Said Reading Accessories
http://Simplysaidreadingaccessories.blogspot.com
Wanda B. Campbell
http://www.wandabcampbell.net/blog.html
March 4
Joey Reviews
http://www.joeypinkney.com/
The Certain Ones
http://thecertainones.blogspot.com
Faygo's Report
http://instanter.wordpress.com
March 5
APOOO Book Club
http://www.apooobooks.com
Paulette Harper
http://pauletteharper.blogspot.com
Loving Heart Mommy
http://www.lovingheartmommy.com
March 2, 2010
Real Talk With Tanya White Radio Show (8:40-8:55 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/realtalkwithtanyawhite
(347) 215-6446
March 3, 2010
Abundant Solutions (9:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/asemotivation
(718) 508-9600
March 4, 2010
WordThirst Literary Online Radio Show (8 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ashea-goldson
(347) 324-3749
March 5, 2010
Chocolate Pages Show (6:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chocolatepages
(646)716-8098
April 26, 2010
From The Heart & Soul" with Lady Serenity (7:00 p.m. EST)
http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/lady-Serenity
(347)838-9657
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
March 1
All the Buzz Reviews
http://www.allthebuzzreviews.com
Urban Christian Fiction Today
http://www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com
Tia's Pen
http://www.Tiaspen.blogspot.com
Sharon Ball
http://www.sharonball.com
March 2
RAWSistaz Literary Group
http://www.rawsistaz.com
Mom Unplugged
http://www.momunplugged.com
Let Us Bear Fruit
http://letusbearfruit.blogspot.com
I Read ...
http://sumanam.wordpress.com/
March 3
SORMAG
http://sormag.blogspot.com/
Simpy Said Reading Accessories
http://Simplysaidreadingaccessories.blogspot.com
Wanda B. Campbell
http://www.wandabcampbell.net/blog.html
March 4
Joey Reviews
http://www.joeypinkney.com/
The Certain Ones
http://thecertainones.blogspot.com
Faygo's Report
http://instanter.wordpress.com
March 5
APOOO Book Club
http://www.apooobooks.com
Paulette Harper
http://pauletteharper.blogspot.com
Loving Heart Mommy
http://www.lovingheartmommy.com
Saturday, January 16, 2010
EDC Creations Literary Hallmarks 2009: 100 Adult Power Reads of the Decade
EDC Creations Literary Hallmarks 2009: 100 Adult Power Reads of the Decade
Ella Curry and EDC Creations is proud to announce the 100 Best Books of the Decade. Each book created an impact for readers and the Sankofa Literary Society network. Our literary hallmarks indicate excellence in writing. These are the books we want to showcase to the world.
Readers please take a moment and examine the list below. There is something for all book lovers! The books are NOT listed in any order pertaining to the quality of the literature—they are all 4-5 star reads. Each book on this list will bring something of value to enrich the lives of the readers and to help to strengthen our future generations. ENJOY!
100 Adult Power Reads of the Decade: 2000-2009
1. America I AM Legends by Smiley Books
2. Audacity of Hope by President Barack Obama
3. Mandela: The Authorized Portrait by PQ Publishers Ltd
4. Chicken Soup for the African American Woman's Soul by Jack Canfield and Lisa Nichols
5. The Covenant with Black America by Tavis Smiley
6. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
7. You Must Set Forth at Dawn by Wole Soyinka
8. Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50 by Michael Cunningham and Connie Briscoe
9. Coming Together by Harriette Cole
10. Like Trees Walking by Ravi Howard
11. Tropical Fish: Tales From Entebbe by Doreen Baingana
12. Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
13. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted: A Memoir by E. Lynn Harris
14. Down the Aisle in Style by Chamein Canton
15. May December Souls by Marissa Monteilh
16. The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier
17. Friends: A Love Story by Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance
18. What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage
19. The Baron Son by William R. Patterson
20. Reallionaire by Farrah Gray
21. Girl Get Your Credit Straight by Glinda Bridgeforth
22. Voodoo Season by Jewell Parker Rhodes
23. Standing at the Scratch Line by Guy Johnson
24. All Aunt Hagar's Children by Edward P. Jones
25. The Senator and The Socialite by Lawrence Otis Graham
26. Life is Short But Wide by J. California Cooper
27. Criss Cross by Evie Rhodes
28. Brothers and Sisters by Bebe Moore Campbell
29. Man of Fantasy by Rochelle Alers
30. This Bitter Earth by Bernice L. McFadden
31. Not Easily Broken by T.D. Jakes
32. Cruisin' On Desperation by Pat G'Orge-Walker
33. Big Spankable Asses by Kimberly Kaye Terry
34. Gettin' Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles II by Zane
35. Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
36. Unconditionally Single by Mary B. Morrison
37. Casanegra by Blair Underwood
38. The Aftermath by Anna J.
39. Them by Nathan McCall
40. Diary of a Mistress by Miasha
41. Growing Up Girl by Michelle Sewell
42. The Hand I Fan With by Tina Mcelroy Ansa
43. Sugar by Bernice L. McFadden
44. A Taste Of Sin by Fiona Zedde
45. Passin' by Karen E. Quinones Miller
46. Living, Breathing Lies by Gloria Mallette
47. Thong on Fire: An Urban Erotic Tale by Noire
48. Dark Sons by Nikki Grimes
49. 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
50. Nina's Got A Secret by Brian W. Smith
51. Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
52. Open My Eyes, Open My Soul by Yolanda King and Elodia Tate
53. Girl Get Your Child Support by Cathy Middleton
54. Seasons by Bonnie Hopkins
55. The Just Us Girls by Evelyn 'Slim' Lambright
56. Child of God by Lolita Files
57. Can't Get Enough by Connie Briscoe
58. Joplin's Ghost by Tananarive Due
59. Gather Together in My Name by Tracy Price-Thompson
60. Casting The First Stone by Kimberla Lawson Roby
61. The Darkest Child: A Novel by Delores Phillips
62. I Say a Little Prayer by E. Lynn Harris
63. Baby Brother's Blues by Pearl Cleage
64. The Living Blood by Tananarive Due
65. Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins
66. Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
67. My Sister's Ex: A Novel by Cydney Rax
68. Fifth Born by Zelda Lockhart
69. Divorcing the Devil by Dwan Abrams
70. What Doesn't Kill You: A Novel by Deberry and Grant
71. I Know I've Been Changed by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
72. Watercolored Pearls: A Novel by Stacy Hawkins Adams
73. She Ain't The One by Mary B. Morrison
74. Something On The Side by Carl Weber
75. Dutch by Teri Woods and Kwame Teague
76. Black and Ugly by T. Styles
77. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
78. The Blacker the Berry by Lena Matthews
79. Gonna Lay Down My Burdens by Mary Monroe
80. Sexual Healing by Jill Nelson
81. A Day Late and a Dollar Short by Terry McMillan
82. The Hotel Alleluia by Lucinda Roy
83. Victoria's Secret by Jason Poole
84. The Prisoner's Wife by Asha Bandele
85. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
86. Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys by Jawanza Kunjufu
87. Cream by by Solomon Jones
88. Little Ghetto Girl by Danielle Santiago
89. Gutter: A Novel by K'wan
90. No Girl Needs a Husband Seven Days a Week by Nina Foxx
91. A New Kind of Blue by Bettye Griffin
92. Dubious by Tina Brooks McKinney
93. Maneater by Mary B. Morrison and Noire
94. Sweets: Soul Food Desserts and Memories by Patty Pinner
95. On The Run With Love by J. M. Benjamin
96. In Cahootz by Quentin Carter
97. Fearless Jones by Walter Mosley
98. Gabriel's Story by David Anthony Durham
99. Right Side of the Wrong Bed by Frederick Smith
100. Just Us Girls: The Contemporary African American Young Adult Novel by Wendy RountreePlease rate the article. What to you think?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 Book Tour Schedule
It's that time again. New book, another tour. I'm excited about my upcoming release, My Mother's Child. Hope to see you along the way. Peace & Blessings!
February 23--Official release date for My Mother's Child--Please be sure to pick up a copy!
March 6--My Mother's Child Book Release Party, J.P. Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers, GA 30012, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
March 20--Renaissance Book Club Meeting, Jackson, MS
April 17--Ladies of the Dove Literary Festival, Brewton-Parker College Liberty County auditorium, Hinesville/Ft. Stewart, GA, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
April 24--Black Bestsellers Bash, Southwest Regional Branch Library, 3665 Cascade Rd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30331, 2:00 p.m.
April 25--Wanda's Way Radio Interview, 12:00 (noon) EST
April 25--SBS Book Club Meeting, Columbus, GA
April 27--Pages of Grace Book Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA
May 15--Words of Inspiration (WOI) Book Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA
June 23-26--Presenter at the Black Writers Reunion & Conference, W Atlanta Perimeter Hotel, Atlanta, GA
February 23--Official release date for My Mother's Child--Please be sure to pick up a copy!
March 6--My Mother's Child Book Release Party, J.P. Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers, GA 30012, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
March 20--Renaissance Book Club Meeting, Jackson, MS
April 17--Ladies of the Dove Literary Festival, Brewton-Parker College Liberty County auditorium, Hinesville/Ft. Stewart, GA, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
April 24--Black Bestsellers Bash, Southwest Regional Branch Library, 3665 Cascade Rd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30331, 2:00 p.m.
April 25--Wanda's Way Radio Interview, 12:00 (noon) EST
April 25--SBS Book Club Meeting, Columbus, GA
April 27--Pages of Grace Book Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA
May 15--Words of Inspiration (WOI) Book Club Meeting, Atlanta, GA
June 23-26--Presenter at the Black Writers Reunion & Conference, W Atlanta Perimeter Hotel, Atlanta, GA
Friday, January 1, 2010
2010 Resolution Handbook for Happiness
This is a repost from Star Jones's blog. It was so good that I felt the need to share.
I am resolving right now that 2010 is going to be a year to show RESPECT, extend KINDNESS, grow in LOVE, and PRAISE GOD for his goodness and mercy! For all those in agreement, join me by taking the pledge to use this 50 point "handbook" to improve your HEALTH, polish your PERSONALITY, strengthen our SOCIETY and perfect our LIVES.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I WILL:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray every single day.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than I did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily; and while I walk...smile.
11. Not compare my life to others because I have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Say "I love you" to my partner...because I do.
13. Not have negative thoughts about things that I cannot control.
14. Invest my energy in the positive present moment.
15. Not over do it.
16. Focus on my health...because in the end...that's all that matters.
17. Make more donations to those less fortunate because regardless of my situation...I'm not missing any meals or sleeping on the street.
18. Not take myself so seriously; because no one else does.
19. Exercise more and talk about exercise less.
20. Not waste my precious energy on gossip.
21. Dream more while I'm awake.
22. Remember that envy is a waste of time. I already have all that I need.
23. Forget issues of the past.
24. Not remind my family, friends or partner of his/her mistakes of the past.
25. Not ruin my present happiness.
26. Remember that life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
27. Make peace with my past so it won't spoil my present.
28. Be in charge of my own happiness.
29. Realize that life is a school and I am here to learn and problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class; but the lessons I learn will last a lifetime.
30. Smile and laugh more.
31. Not have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
32. Call my family more often.
33. Give something good to others each day.
34. Remove all toxic people, places and things from my life.
35. Forgive everyone for everything...because it's not that deep.
36. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
37. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
38. Stay in my own lane and out of other people's business.
39. Stop worrying about what other people think of me because it is none of my business.
40. Remember that my job won't take care of me when I'm sick. My family & friends will; so I need to stay in touch with folk who matter in my life.
41. Do the right thing!
42. Call my parents...just to say thank you.
43. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
44. Open myself up to new experiences that take me out of my comfort zone.
45. Organize my personal space because excellence cannot operate in chaos.
46. Know that no matter how good or bad a situation is, it can and will change.
47. No matter how I feel...I will get up, dress up and show up.
48. Open my eyes every morning and when I realize that I am still alive; I will thank GOD for it.
49. Remember that God is in control...so I will let go and let God!
50. End my day with a prayer of thanksgiving because God has already promised that the best is yet to come.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
I am resolving right now that 2010 is going to be a year to show RESPECT, extend KINDNESS, grow in LOVE, and PRAISE GOD for his goodness and mercy! For all those in agreement, join me by taking the pledge to use this 50 point "handbook" to improve your HEALTH, polish your PERSONALITY, strengthen our SOCIETY and perfect our LIVES.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I WILL:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray every single day.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than I did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily; and while I walk...smile.
11. Not compare my life to others because I have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Say "I love you" to my partner...because I do.
13. Not have negative thoughts about things that I cannot control.
14. Invest my energy in the positive present moment.
15. Not over do it.
16. Focus on my health...because in the end...that's all that matters.
17. Make more donations to those less fortunate because regardless of my situation...I'm not missing any meals or sleeping on the street.
18. Not take myself so seriously; because no one else does.
19. Exercise more and talk about exercise less.
20. Not waste my precious energy on gossip.
21. Dream more while I'm awake.
22. Remember that envy is a waste of time. I already have all that I need.
23. Forget issues of the past.
24. Not remind my family, friends or partner of his/her mistakes of the past.
25. Not ruin my present happiness.
26. Remember that life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
27. Make peace with my past so it won't spoil my present.
28. Be in charge of my own happiness.
29. Realize that life is a school and I am here to learn and problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class; but the lessons I learn will last a lifetime.
30. Smile and laugh more.
31. Not have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
32. Call my family more often.
33. Give something good to others each day.
34. Remove all toxic people, places and things from my life.
35. Forgive everyone for everything...because it's not that deep.
36. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
37. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
38. Stay in my own lane and out of other people's business.
39. Stop worrying about what other people think of me because it is none of my business.
40. Remember that my job won't take care of me when I'm sick. My family & friends will; so I need to stay in touch with folk who matter in my life.
41. Do the right thing!
42. Call my parents...just to say thank you.
43. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
44. Open myself up to new experiences that take me out of my comfort zone.
45. Organize my personal space because excellence cannot operate in chaos.
46. Know that no matter how good or bad a situation is, it can and will change.
47. No matter how I feel...I will get up, dress up and show up.
48. Open my eyes every morning and when I realize that I am still alive; I will thank GOD for it.
49. Remember that God is in control...so I will let go and let God!
50. End my day with a prayer of thanksgiving because God has already promised that the best is yet to come.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Secrets and Lies by Rhonda McKnight
Introducing SECRETS AND LIES by Rhonda McKnight
Amazon link
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Lies-Rhonda-McKnight/dp/1601629400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257041640&sr=8-1
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About the Book
Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it's truly in God's will for them to stay married.
Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?
About the Author
Rhonda McKnight owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today (www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com ), a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s also the vice president of the Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for almost twelve years.
Rhonda, tell us how you came up with the idea for this story? I woke up one morning and these people were talking in my head, or rather arguing. (LOL). I thought this could be interesting, turned on the creativity, and came up with the “issues” in their marriage. I also did a lot of research about heart disease. Jonah is a pediatric cardiologist and that’s central to the story. I knew absolutely nothing about heart disease before I wrote this novel.
Who is your ideal reader? I think most people will think my ideal reader is women who are married. While I think the book will definitely appeal to married women, I’d love for single woman who are thinking about marriage or waiting on Mr. Right to read the book. There is a valuable lesson for single women in the story. Faith chose to overlook a very important issue prior to her marriage to Jonah. This issue becomes a huge source of pain for her. Ten years later her ideal black man has her pulling her hair out.
Name something about the book that will appeal to readers? I think readers will find it appealing, because more than half of it is written from Jonah’s point of view. My informal research amongst readers has taught me that women readers love stories that are written from a man’s perspective. Like most men, Jonah is complex. He’s a love to hate kind of guy. People will love him because he’s dedicated his life to physically healing children, but he’s emotionally and spiritually sick himself. What a burden for Faith. Faith’s pain will have some folks shaking their heads at Jonah.
When's your next book being released? My second novel, An Inconvenient Friend comes out August 1, 2010. I have a nasty little character in Secrets and Lies who gets her own story, and what a story it is. She's up to no good. Can she be redeemed?
How can readers find out more about you? Readers may contact me at my website at www.rhondamcknight.net. I love for people to sign my guestbook and share their thoughts about the story. I'm also a complete Facebook addict. You'll definitely find me there more than you should at www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight
Amazon link
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Lies-Rhonda-McKnight/dp/1601629400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257041640&sr=8-1
------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Book
Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it's truly in God's will for them to stay married.Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?
About the Author
Rhonda McKnight owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today (www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com ), a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s also the vice president of the Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for almost twelve years. Rhonda, tell us how you came up with the idea for this story? I woke up one morning and these people were talking in my head, or rather arguing. (LOL). I thought this could be interesting, turned on the creativity, and came up with the “issues” in their marriage. I also did a lot of research about heart disease. Jonah is a pediatric cardiologist and that’s central to the story. I knew absolutely nothing about heart disease before I wrote this novel.
Who is your ideal reader? I think most people will think my ideal reader is women who are married. While I think the book will definitely appeal to married women, I’d love for single woman who are thinking about marriage or waiting on Mr. Right to read the book. There is a valuable lesson for single women in the story. Faith chose to overlook a very important issue prior to her marriage to Jonah. This issue becomes a huge source of pain for her. Ten years later her ideal black man has her pulling her hair out.
Name something about the book that will appeal to readers? I think readers will find it appealing, because more than half of it is written from Jonah’s point of view. My informal research amongst readers has taught me that women readers love stories that are written from a man’s perspective. Like most men, Jonah is complex. He’s a love to hate kind of guy. People will love him because he’s dedicated his life to physically healing children, but he’s emotionally and spiritually sick himself. What a burden for Faith. Faith’s pain will have some folks shaking their heads at Jonah.
When's your next book being released? My second novel, An Inconvenient Friend comes out August 1, 2010. I have a nasty little character in Secrets and Lies who gets her own story, and what a story it is. She's up to no good. Can she be redeemed?
How can readers find out more about you? Readers may contact me at my website at www.rhondamcknight.net. I love for people to sign my guestbook and share their thoughts about the story. I'm also a complete Facebook addict. You'll definitely find me there more than you should at www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Reality of a Times Bestseller by LViel
A few years ago I made a promise to my writer friends that if I ever had a novel hit the top twenty of the New York Times mass market bestseller list that I would share all the information I was given about the book so writers could really see what it takes to get there. Today I’m going to keep that promise and give you the stats on my sixth Darkyn novel, Twilight Fall.
We’ve all been told a lot of myths about what it takes to reach the top twenty list of the NYT BSL. What I was told: you have to have an initial print run of 100-150K, you have to go to all the writer and reader conferences to pimp the book, you can’t make it unless you go to certain bookstores during release week and have a mass signing or somehow arrange for a lot of copies to be sold there; the list is fixed, etc.
I’ve never had a 100K first print run. I don’t do book signings and I don’t order massive amounts of my own books from certain bookstores (I don’t even know which bookstores are the magic ones from whom the Times gets their sales data.) I do very little in the way of promotions for my books; for this one I gave away some ARCs, sent some author copies to readers and reviewers, and that was about it. I haven’t attended any conference since 2003. To my knowledge there was no marketing campaign for this book; I was never informed of what the publisher was going to do for it (as a high midlist author I probably don’t rate a marketing campaign yet.) I know they did some blog ads for the previous book in the series, but I never saw anything online about this particular book. No one offered to get me on the Times list, either, but then I was never told who to bribe, beg or otherwise convince to fix the list (I don’t think there is anyone who really does that, but you never know.)
Despite my lack of secret handshakes and massive first print runs, in July 2008 my novel Twilight Fall debuted on the Times mm list at #19. I’ll tell you exactly why it got there: my readers put it there. But it wasn’t until last week that I received the first royalty statement (Publishing is unbelievably slow in this department) so I just now put together all the actual figures on how well the book did.
To give you some background info, Twilight Fall had an initial print run of 88.5K, and an initial ship of 69K. Most readers, retailers and buyers that I keep in touch with e-mailed me to let me know that the book shipped late because of the July 4th holiday weekend. Another 4K was shipped out two to four weeks after the lay-down date, for a total of 73K, which means there were 15.5K held in reserve in the warehouse in July 2008.
Here is the first royalty statement for Twilight Fall, on which I’ve only blanked out Penguin Group’s address. Everything else is exactly as I’ve listed it. To give you a condensed version of what all those figures mean, for the sale period of July through November 30, 2008. my publisher reports sales of 64,925 books, for which my royalties were $40,484.00. I didn’t get credit for all those sales, as 21,140 book credits were held back as a reserve against possible future returns, for which they subtracted $13,512.69 (these are not lost sales; I’m simply not given credit for them until the publisher decides to release them, which takes anywhere from one to three years.)
My net earnings on this statement was $27,721.31, which was deducted from my advance. My actual earnings from this statement was $0.
My advance for Twilight Fall was $50,000.00, a third of which I did not get paid until the book physically hit the shelf — this is now a common practice by publishers, to withhold a portion of the advance until date of publication. Of that $50K, my agent received $7,500.00 as her 15% (which she earns, believe me) the goverment received roughly $15,000.00, and $1594.27 went to cover my expenses (office supplies, blog giveaways, shipping, promotion, etc.) After expenses and everyone else was paid, I netted about $26K of my $50K advance for this book, which is believe it or not very good — most authors are lucky if they can make 10% profit on any book. This should also shut up everyone who says all bestselling authors make millions — most of us don’t.
My next royalty statement for Twilight Fall probably won’t come until October or November 2009, but when it does I’ll post copies of it so you can see what a top twenty Times bestseller does in the first year after it’s released.
In Publishing telling the truth about earnings smashes the illusions publishers and writers want you to believe and, like breaking mirrors, it never brings you good luck. Thing is, when I was a rookie I wanted to know exactly what it took to have a top twenty Times bestselling novel, because that was such a big deal to writers. Everyone I asked gave me a different answer, told me a bunch of nonsense, or couldn’t/wouldn’t tell me at all. For that reason I want you to see the hard figures, and know the reality, and the next time someone asks you what it takes, you can tell them the truth.
We’ve all been told a lot of myths about what it takes to reach the top twenty list of the NYT BSL. What I was told: you have to have an initial print run of 100-150K, you have to go to all the writer and reader conferences to pimp the book, you can’t make it unless you go to certain bookstores during release week and have a mass signing or somehow arrange for a lot of copies to be sold there; the list is fixed, etc.
I’ve never had a 100K first print run. I don’t do book signings and I don’t order massive amounts of my own books from certain bookstores (I don’t even know which bookstores are the magic ones from whom the Times gets their sales data.) I do very little in the way of promotions for my books; for this one I gave away some ARCs, sent some author copies to readers and reviewers, and that was about it. I haven’t attended any conference since 2003. To my knowledge there was no marketing campaign for this book; I was never informed of what the publisher was going to do for it (as a high midlist author I probably don’t rate a marketing campaign yet.) I know they did some blog ads for the previous book in the series, but I never saw anything online about this particular book. No one offered to get me on the Times list, either, but then I was never told who to bribe, beg or otherwise convince to fix the list (I don’t think there is anyone who really does that, but you never know.)
Despite my lack of secret handshakes and massive first print runs, in July 2008 my novel Twilight Fall debuted on the Times mm list at #19. I’ll tell you exactly why it got there: my readers put it there. But it wasn’t until last week that I received the first royalty statement (Publishing is unbelievably slow in this department) so I just now put together all the actual figures on how well the book did.
To give you some background info, Twilight Fall had an initial print run of 88.5K, and an initial ship of 69K. Most readers, retailers and buyers that I keep in touch with e-mailed me to let me know that the book shipped late because of the July 4th holiday weekend. Another 4K was shipped out two to four weeks after the lay-down date, for a total of 73K, which means there were 15.5K held in reserve in the warehouse in July 2008.
Here is the first royalty statement for Twilight Fall, on which I’ve only blanked out Penguin Group’s address. Everything else is exactly as I’ve listed it. To give you a condensed version of what all those figures mean, for the sale period of July through November 30, 2008. my publisher reports sales of 64,925 books, for which my royalties were $40,484.00. I didn’t get credit for all those sales, as 21,140 book credits were held back as a reserve against possible future returns, for which they subtracted $13,512.69 (these are not lost sales; I’m simply not given credit for them until the publisher decides to release them, which takes anywhere from one to three years.)
My net earnings on this statement was $27,721.31, which was deducted from my advance. My actual earnings from this statement was $0.
My advance for Twilight Fall was $50,000.00, a third of which I did not get paid until the book physically hit the shelf — this is now a common practice by publishers, to withhold a portion of the advance until date of publication. Of that $50K, my agent received $7,500.00 as her 15% (which she earns, believe me) the goverment received roughly $15,000.00, and $1594.27 went to cover my expenses (office supplies, blog giveaways, shipping, promotion, etc.) After expenses and everyone else was paid, I netted about $26K of my $50K advance for this book, which is believe it or not very good — most authors are lucky if they can make 10% profit on any book. This should also shut up everyone who says all bestselling authors make millions — most of us don’t.
My next royalty statement for Twilight Fall probably won’t come until October or November 2009, but when it does I’ll post copies of it so you can see what a top twenty Times bestseller does in the first year after it’s released.
In Publishing telling the truth about earnings smashes the illusions publishers and writers want you to believe and, like breaking mirrors, it never brings you good luck. Thing is, when I was a rookie I wanted to know exactly what it took to have a top twenty Times bestselling novel, because that was such a big deal to writers. Everyone I asked gave me a different answer, told me a bunch of nonsense, or couldn’t/wouldn’t tell me at all. For that reason I want you to see the hard figures, and know the reality, and the next time someone asks you what it takes, you can tell them the truth.
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