Today I am absolutely delighted to be discussing Mrs. Black with Angelia Vernon Menchan! For those who don’t know, she is not only an author, mentor and those other things in her bio…she is a wonderful person and supporter of other authors. So today’s book chat will be a special one as we give back to her, as she’s so freely given to us, this challenge, and the authors whose books we’ve read!
This is Book 10 of our Holiday Reading Challenge! Let’s do it!
MRS. BLACK by Angelia Vernon Menchan
acVernon Menchan, September 2009
208 Pages, Paperback, $12.00
ISBN-10: 097878359X
ISBN-13: 978-0978783594
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Will Malcolm Black finally get the woman of his dreams or will he tire of waiting and find someone else to be Mrs. Black? Will William Brown finally get his comeuppance and have to pay the piper or will Cinnamon Brown find it in her heart to forgive and look the other way one more time? Will Cinnamon finally choose Malcolm Black, or will she stay with William Brown no matter what….or will she relax and let them both go? Mrs. Black answers these questions and more. Center City’s major players are about to shake things up and get shook!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angelia Vernon Menchan is a wife, mother, mentor and former Job Corps Counselor who has written coming-of-age novels and “ageless fiction” for emerging women. She is the author of several other books and articles.
Born and raised in Ocala Florida, she resides in Jacksonville, Florida.
Author’s Blog: http://acvermen.blogspot.com
Author’s Website: http://www.angeliavmenchan.com
Angelia…welcome, welcome, welcome! I am so happy we’re able to throw the spotlight on you today. You are at the very top of my list for most supportive author ever, and that says a lot since I’ve worked with thousands of authors! Thanks so much for joining us and participating in our Holiday Reading Challenge.
Tell us ALL about you and how/when you started to write. We’ll jump into the book discussion of MRS. BLACK momentarily. (And I hope you brought Black with you….LOL.)
-Tee
Thanks Tee, I guess its true that game does recognize game because no one in the literary game is more than supportive than you and I want to THANK you~
I have always been a storyteller, reader and journaller (sp). However, when my youngest started college in 2004 I decided I was going to write a book. I sat down and wrote over 500 pages and that book became Black’s Obsession. I didnt have a clue just knew I wanted to write something a little different. As flawed as that book was I developed a loyal following and here we are four years and nine books later~
Awwwwwww, thanks!
Now hold up…500 pages? Is that the final page count or what you started out with? That’s a whole lotta book! Tell us about Black’s Obsession and the series itself. With Mrs. Black, I see the books easily stand alone, but break them down for us, by title and release date.
-Tee
No actually that is what made me decide to do a trilogy. Black’s Obsession was based on a short story entitled ‘Whose Baby” The premise was that Malcolm Black had everything he wanted but the the woman, who was married to his former friend. That book was 300 pages, book two Cinnamon’s Universe was 320, Brown’s Possession was 250. And Mrs. Black which I had vowed not to write, ha ha ended up being 208.
I didn’t know about the other books…guess they’re going on my list for 2010
Yes! Wana I try to write so that my books stand alone, usuallly, thankfully after reading one, people read the others~
I will be looking for them too, because now I wanna know how Black dealed with his boy going after the woman he loved, then seeing them married, then being just a friend all those years, then finally getting with her, for her to go back to Brown.
Seems like he’s just too good to be true. I know there’s a beat down in one of those books!
-Tee
Yeah you got to read the whole thing~ but not much beating down, I am telling you it was all calculated and strategic~
The more we talk, the more I’m thinking I probably would’ve loved the original, even at 500 pages. I tend to avoid BABs, but in this case, I need the rest of the story.
Was it age that caused them to react the way they did to them? Most say with age comes wisdom, but still…I could see two old men going at it over their pride or their “woman.” Ahahha.
:::thinking I may need to let it go:::
-Tee
I am telling you a lot goes on behind closed doors and there are a lot of MEN that women are willing to share, why wouldnt they want to share CINNAMON giggling, some women make a man compromise~ ha ha ha
Hello Angelia,
I didn’t know you had so many titles. I love finding new (new to me anyway) authors.
Dee
Thanks Dee~
I have been very busy and I have had amazing on the ground support~ there are over a million people in Jacskonville~ shoot I take my show on the road~
I am here and ready when you guys are~
Ready, ready!!
Good Morning. Stopping through to support Angelia. Happy New Year to Everyone!
Thanks Chica~
Hi Angelia,
Enjoyed the book.
What inspired you to write this story and was the story based on true events/couples?
Wana
Thanks Wana,
Everything I write is rooted in truth, though by no means based exactly on anyone. I am a quiet observer and growing up I saw a lot of relationships that worked though they were not necessarily as others thought. We all know men with children outside marriage but still married. Stuff like that and I wanted to flip the script a bit by having it be a woman. But sure as a mentor, former counselor and observer of life I have seen many, many stories and bits and pieces make it into my writing~
I was discussing the book with a friend and while I’ve only read this book in the series, from your blogs over the years, I see your voice clearly in MRS. BLACK. Your desire to mentor and to give hope is very prevalent in the story. Is that your only intent with your writing?
I also wondered if that was part of the reason there’s no major, major conflict in the story? Hmmm, that didn’t really express what I’m saying. I don’t want drama for the sake of drama, but do you think your mentoring voice kept you from including anything that would make the readers hate any of the characters? While Brown was a womanizer, we still were able to see the human side of him and how much he loved Cinnamon.
For instance…with Malcolm II’s mom, why didn’t you fully show her as the manipulator/money-hungry person she turned out to be?
-Tee
Tee,
I am not sure if it is the Mentor thing or not and there is a great deal of my voice in there. But as Maya Angelou told me years ago, write what you know. And I come from a long line of people who try to take the classy way out~ and I strongly believe that inside everyone there is good, my goal, particularly when wrting Black Men is to show them as flawed, messy and all they are but to also show why someone would love them and compromise for them, make them human~ men love my characters for that very reason. When I write I dont think much about the POW~ I just try to tell a story as it occurs in my brain~ many,many people wanted to take my on about Cinnamon’s Universe for allowing a good woman to fall~
And this shows in the book
Well, you did it! I don’t necessarily need the “Pow”, but I now get what you’re saying. I like the classy way out, but ummmm….ahahha.
I’m just sayin’…
-Tee
Good point!
I know I am accused of taking the high road, so I guess I added that to my books~ and I feel the story wouldnt have resonated the way it has if there had been the beatdown~ I ‘on know I am just a different kind of writer woman ha!
Okay, okay! Maybe just Brown having the thought and expressing it to himself that he wanted to beat down Black or a dream that he had done it. Ahaha! (Getting all soap opera-y).
Done…
I like the fact you flipped it. Women seem to be more acceptable of an outside child than men.
To those joining us, I already know you’re in for a treat, as Angelia has already been heavily participating in the chats for our reading challenge thus far. So, let’s start off with some questions…
- Who was your favorite character?
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown?
- Who was your favorite character? Why? Least favorite? Was there a character you didn’t like?
- What was your initial reaction between Black and Brown? Was their relationship realistic? Why or why not?
- Tee
Cant wait to hear the ‘realistic’ comments. hee hee
They’re coming…lol!
- I liked most of the characters equally, but if I had to have a favorite, I’d probably say Aura. I liked how she loved her parents, but was truthful with them. I also liked that she didn’t intend to take sides with the situation. I also liked Black, and loved hearing about his love for Cinnamon.
- I have not read the other books in the series, so I didn’t have any previous knowledge of the relationship between Cinnamon and Black, other than what was given in the story. Above all, I loved their friendship and that he loved her enough to wait. Some of the waiting, though…I dunno…
- There was really no least favorite character. Not saying there had to be, but this was one of the things that threw me in the book. It was like all the characters were nicey-nice. LOL. Yeah, I know there are nice people and you don’t need drama for drama’s sake, but I wanted a “bad” character. I sit with on the fence with books that don’t have that “it” that makes the characters go crazy. LOL. Granted, in this case, I do think the “it” was the love they had for each other. It didn’t quite make them go crazy, but it kept them all connected…which I did like.
- Black and Brown? I’m sorry, but oh heck nawwww! I couldn’t see this going down, simply because of the pride issue. Brown would’ve beat Black down at least once in my world — or in real life. To know another man wants your wife is one thing, but to KNOW he’s had her? Oh nooooo, I wasn’t buying that one. I wonder if that’s a generational thing though? Thoughts anyone?
-Tee
I dont do drama for drama’s sake. And I am telling you I know these people. Lots and lots of things go on and mostly no one knew but the three of them~ until this book~ and many times that is what it’s about, many people, mostly women know their man is cheating but they look the other way, until someone else knows~
Aura is strength and may deserve her own book one day~
I like Aura’s character as well and was strong for not taking sides. Shocked me though when I read she’s a lesbian…I was like where did the come from….LOL
From Cinnamon’s Universe~
Will Khadijah stay with Brown?
Yep! And in the next book, she’s going to take out Cinnamon and try to “become” her.
:::running::::
-Tee
ROFL!!!
Yall a mess, LOL!!!!
Yeah, I didn’t see that coming either and when Amy went to stay with (insert character name), ROFL…can’t remember. I was like, okay, who is that?
Gonna definitely read the others now.
-Tee
Sharon, that did come out of nowhere but I was like oh ok and going.
Angelia, I see it comes from another book but was there a reason you dropped that tidbit in this one?
No reason other than that Cinnamon and Aura was talking about being loved like that and I felt it needed to be said why Aura didnt have a significant other~
- Who was your favorite character? Surprisingly it was Aura even though she didn’t have a BIG role in the book. I could sense her strength and liked how she didn’t pick sides and was upfront about it.
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown? No
- Who was your favorite character? Why? Least favorite? Was there a character you didn’t like?
I didn’t like Muhammad, he just got on my nerves acting like a child but he was a grown man doing his own dirt.
- What was your initial reaction between Black and Brown? Was their relationship realistic? Why or why not? That was the one thing I found unrealistic in the book. Their continued relationship after it was out about the affair. I could kind of see Brown’s initial thought of keep your enemy’s closer but that was your friend and there are some lines friends shouldn’t cross regardless of feelings.
Actually Cinnamon and Black tried to stay apart after she and Black moved back to Center City but there were many extenuating circumstances, Brown’s lack of attention when her mom was sick, Black’s mother’s death and BROWN setting it up.
LOL @ Wana! This was my initial reaction to Muha, that and he was wishy-washy, but then I realized he just needed to grow up.
Re: Brown/Black, I don’t think it would be as easy for this type of relationship to work with our generation.
-Tee
No…I definitely can see this not working in our generation. It’s like “you took my woman/man and you going down”.
Sharon, you’re right it definitely wouldn’t work.
Okay yall asked for it, years ago I was living in Germany and worked with a soldier whose wife was let’s say, ‘loooooooose’ they were both in their twenties. The husband knew and one day I heard him say something that made me pause, his words were ‘yes she is a ~~~but she is my ~~~ and one day when she gets it together I will still be there for her.” That was in my head when I was writing the book, that an many other stories~ even today~ no body is as simple or as complex as we think ~
I’ll just say different strokes for different folks.
Right….depends on the individual
Exactly and that is who I write about ‘the different folks’ the rest has already been done~
I have been wating for the link that somebody ALWAYS sends..and something said..just go on over..LOL Anywho..WELCOME !! I LOVED this story !!
To those joining us, I already know you’re in for a treat, as Angelia has already been heavily participating in the chats for our reading challenge thus far. So, let’s start off with some questions…
- Who was your favorite character? Malcolm Black. Whew..thats all I can say..well maybe one more thing..where is MY Malcolm..?? LOL
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown? I thought it was the right decision
- Who was your favorite character? Why? Least favorite? Was there a character you didn’t like? No character I didnt like though Brown had issues he was a “bad” chararacter really..we all have flaws.
- What was your initial reaction between Black and Brown? Was their relationship realistic? Why or why not?
I thought the relationship was very realistic and what made the book so good. All the characters where people we could know and care about. LOVED it..!
Dang, called me out, didn’t you? Sorry, I got all into the conversation and forgot. I’m on it.
-Tee
- Who was your favorite character?
Amy, she sounded too cute!!!!
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown? No, this was my first book
- Least favorite? Was there a character you didn’t like?
- What was your initial reaction between Black and Brown? Was their relationship realistic? Why or why not? I thought their relationship was sad and not realistic. I’m not sure men can remain friends when a woman is at the center. That’s just my thought…
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown?
I think Cinnamon’s decision to leave him was way past due. She was a better woman than me. I don’t know if I could have put up with him for that long.
Hey Hey Angelia:)
Thank you for joining the chat and I want to say I love your participation in all the previous chats. It’s so refreshing to see an author participate in the chats.
Thank you Sharon,
Supporting just seems to make sense to me, my basic philosophy and one that certainly works in my life is ‘A hand open in giving is never empty’
Ditto, ditto!
You not only talk it, Angelia. You walk it and for that, I have no doubt you’ll go far and do well. I’m so glad to have met you!
-Tee
Thanks Tee~
- Had you read the other books preceding Mrs. Black? If so, what were your thoughts on Cinnamon’s decision to leave Brown? Well…I did something stupid….I had let another reader borrow the triology that I had purchased and I never received them back…even though she said she gave them back
- Who was your favorite character? Why? Least favorite? Was there a character you didn’t like? I really didn’t have a favorite nor least favorite. I liked them all equally…but I do want a Black…LOL
- What was your initial reaction between Black and Brown? Was their relationship realistic? Why or why not? I don’t see how two men can be friends and they both want the same woman esp. when the boyfriend is physical to her in front of the husband/ex husband
Ha~ Brown was a totally about Brown and in the books that led up to it, you would see how it played out~ he had his own agendas that backfired~ and he never actually ‘saw’ them do anything~ he actually Machiavellied the whole thing, you would be surprise what many have confessed to me after reading these books~ shhhhhhh
Machiavellied…I like that!!! I’m going to have to buy the triology…AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharon,
I love words, that is why I write~ Brown was something else, in book one he came off too good to be true, by book two we started seeing him, book three well he was in his fullness and by Mrs. Black, well you know~
Well I have to agree that by book three Brown did indead show his colors. Black made me realize what I really wanted in a man(he,He)
Hey yall, this is my baby sister in here supporting me~
Hey, baby sis! You’ve gotta tell us all about Angelia. Baby pics and all.
-Tee
Hey Baby Sis!!
Hayyy Baby Sis ! Welcome !!
Ooooh, okay! So now I definitely want to read the others. I kept doing my “oh hell naw” thing with those two.
-Tee
Was Muhammed slowly turning into his father? Do you think he was just in his feelings toward Cinnamon?
Hmmm, almost forgot about him! I think a part of him saw himself in his father and that angered him. To me, he basically needed to grow up.
-Tee
He really needed to grow up. I do think he was alarmed when he realized he may be more like is father than he wanted to admit. Sometimes we children, fight being like our parents in good or bad.
I agree with Tee & Jaime, he needed to grow up. I’ve said this offline, just because mama or daddy did it, it doesn’t mean we have to do it. In reality, people use it as an excuse to do what they do–be it right or wrong.
Oh I just remembered….my favorite although a small part in the book would be Aunt Gladys…sweet old lady but had no problem putting Brown in his place…and I disliked judgmental Pastor Walker
I liked her too! Especially her comments to Brown that she would kill him. Go Auntie!!
-Tee
Let me tell you the Auntie Divas are my mama and aunts, they dont play. There is only one of the six left but those sisters were the bomb~ all of em~ and I can assure you they would have capped anyone who messed with any of their girl children~
ROFL! Sooooo who’s Black? Who’s Brown? :::giggling:::
Better yet who is Cinnamon~
That was going to be the next question when you replied or when you dodged the question. LOL!!
-Tee
Oh my Aunt Gladys who told him she would kill him then in the next breathe,“Now go on and
eat your food, I know you love roast beef and macaroni and cheese. And don’t worry I didn’t
poison it. I already told you how I will take you out.†I cracked up at that part.
That was one of my fav lines!
I was like Go Aunt Gladys!!! Brown was definitely scared and that point, as he should have been!!!
“Now go on and eat your food, I know you love roast beef and macaroni and cheese. And don’t worry I didn’t poison it. I already told you how I will take you out.â€
ROFL–WANA I forgot about that part.
I have a question? Did it bother anyone that the characters were older? I was once told not to use older characters, but I was like ‘Umm hell no, there are some sexy, got it going on sisters out there who are just hitting their stride at forty and older~
No, their age didn’t bother me.
Heck no…it didn’t bother me….it’s awesome they’re the same age as me.
Ahahha! Well, it didn’t “really” bother me, but at one point, I was like TMI…don’t want to read about older people getting it on, but then reality hit me. What I found really interesting was the way they talked to each other. Yeah, I can see talking like that with my hubby (shhhh), but to hear people in their 50′s doing it, I was like “ooooh, they so bad.” LOL. I liked it! Never seen it/heard it personally, so it was a bit refreshing. They were sweet.
I liked that the scenes weren’t all vivid and detail-y too…cuz, I may not have been able to handle that, thinking about false teeth and err rummm, that stuff.
-Tee
Tee….you silly!!!!!!!!!
Im a tell G you aint gonna give him none when you 50..
Now I didn’t say that! When I’m 50, I’ll not want to read about false teeth and stuff from an 80 year old, mostly wrinkled heroine. Ahahha.
-Tee
roflllll Ok gotcha..I dont want to read that either..lawd..what a visual…YIKES LOL
Ms Tee,
they are my age and my man and I are maddddd sexxxyy! and we got our teeth~ you are too funny and I am not much of a graphic writer, okay well Cinnamon had some SEX up in it for real~
Angelia…you silly too…ROFL!!!! Love how you left the sexy to the readers imagination!
Ahahha…nah-nah-nah-nah! :::covering eyes:::
Work it, Mama!
No I LOVED the fact they were older. We old folks need love too !!! LOL
Girl, you’re not old.
I wasn’t bothered by it, for a moment I forgot they were in their 50′s when I was reading.
Jaime we in our 50s got it going on, we dont have nothing to prove, either we made it or we dont care anymore, we cant get pregnant and the kids grown~ shoot ~ someone said that Cinnamon got her sexy back, I said ummm ummm , like me sexy aint never left, so there ~~~giggling at my self~~~~
Heck, I feel the same way as I head into my second year of my 30′s!!!! I’ve finally realized I can do what’s best for me and not feel guilty about it. I also can’t control what others say or do, nor do I waste my time. Both have been a liberating experience to say the least.
Btw, thanks for spelling my name correctly!!!
Jaime it starts at 30 but I tell you by 50 you are all the way LIVE~
and for someone with the name Angelia Menchan, I am sensitive to names~
Angelia, no it didn’t bother me that they were older. Maybe because I just got to the 40 mark but regardless, their ages didn’t matter.
ROFL @ Angelia! Dang comments wouldn’t let me respond to you, but okay, okay….
I know that a lot of women compromise and are okay with any piece of man, but whew…it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around a man doing so; especially when he loves her like they both obviously did. Cinnamon was definitely all that–just as Khadijah pointed out in the end.
But still…ahahha….
-Tee
Angelia
When you do a story about Aura…will Khadijah and Brown be together? Can you share any ideas?
I am not sure yet what to do about Brown and Khadijah and remember this, Black and Cinnamon have not yet had the wedding~ Anything could happen~ there are so many characters that my readers want books about, Aura, Alexandra, Cinnamon’s friend who was a small part of this book but huge presence in the others, and then there is Black’s family~ what’s a writer to do~
Sounds like a 300 pager to me…LOL
Yep! Black’s mama was interesting, to put it nicely. She should’ve been who I put down as my least favorite character.
-Tee
OOO…I don’t remember Black’s mama…have to go back and skim it.
Oops! I meant Brown’s mama. I told y’all I confused them a few times. Sorry!!
I understand, Tee. The color names were confusing at times, I suffered the same thing when reading…LOL!!!!
Angelia, I can see several other spin-offs to Mrs Black. I definately want to keep up with what’s going on with Mr. Brown too. I want to see him suffer many times over (okay, I know that wasn’t nice to say…smile).
WOOP WOOP get it mama
Now my son up on here, my folks love them some me~ Hey baby boy, I am about to tell them that the young Malcolm is based on you~
Ahahha, it’s a family affair, but don’t be telling baby boy’s business. Ahaha. Now all we need is Papa Mench to roll on in.
Speaking of…how does your family take your writing? Do they look for themselves in the book? Question certain things that happen? Or is it all pride they have for you?
-Tee
My family is very supportive,,,my husband designs my covers, my son that just posted makes a song for every book I write, I will post the Mrs. Black theme song in a minute. I must admit that a few had problems with the cussing in book one, but after I told them I would only buy presents with book proceeds henceforth they came around. My aunt Alice who is almost eighty reads them all. I asked my husband if he thought people would think we were the characters, his response was, “Damn people, nobody better bring that to me, write your stories baby…’
Girl ain’t nothing like family support!!! That’s awesome!!
Awwwwwwwwww! Gotta love it.
What a blessing! Family support is a wonderful power!!!!!
Indeed, everyday after I thank God for bringing me to another day, I thank him for BLESSING me with my man, my sons, my grandbaby, my family, inlaws and friends~
Why did you vow not to write Mrs. Black? It seems like her story is the one you really wanted to tell or is there a deeper story that would require me to read the other books to get?
Also, I absolutely loved the title and how it fit!!
But I will admit starting off, I kept getting confused with the Brown & Black. Why two colors for a name and why not call one of them by the first name? I know a lot of military folks do this and to this day, I have friends I still call by their last names.
-Tee
They are all colors, Brown, Black, Cinnamon and in book one there was a playa named Red~
When I got done with Cinnamon’s Universe I was tired. It was my best selling of the trilogy until Mrs. Black but I went out on a limb with that one. It was hard writing about a woman being so caught up, but readers loved it. So I wrote Brown’s Possession, A Family’s Progression, which is my personal favorite. It is more about the Centers and Cinnamon’s column and Black taking a vow of celibacy~ and I said no mas~ didnt even promote Brown’s Possession. But my readers and they are loyal wanted more. So I wrote Mrs. Black in three months and sat on it for two years~
Angelia…please consider doing a trilogy pack for us with all the books in both electronic & paperback format.
And, BTW, remind me to email you about the electronic version and my Sony Reader.
-Tee
I think I will~
Angelia
Although not realistic but very clever…..the part when Cinnamon is photographed at Black’s cabin and he geniusly (is that a word? LOL) has someone take a pic of him and his sister Delia to protect her.
I actually loved this and that he thought enough to do it. Why didn’t you think it was realistic?
-Tee
That was by definition who BLACK is. In Cinnamon’s Universe he moved an entire cabin to a new location because his ex-wife had discovered it~ I am telling you some women (winking) can get a man to do some thangs~ haaa
I guess because not many people who be clever enough to think of doing something like this…but I like how Angelia added it to the story.
I’m going to step out for a bit, but I’ll be back to catch up.
@Angelia, in the interim…
- Could you explain to us what you call Ageless Fiction?
- Tell us about your book Ramblings, which I absolutely loved!
- Also, share with us some of your influences? Favorite writers and books?
-Tee
I call my work Ageless Fiction because I write for all ages, In fact I have a young adult book, Is NO Not Clear Enough For You. Cinnamon and Aura are prevelant in that book.
RAMBLINGS is based on my blog. I blog most days and many people would ask me to put my blogs in book form so I did~ it has done well and seems to inspire some folks~
I would say J California Cooper’s early work probably inspired me more than most, I am by nature a short story writer~
I loved Ramblings!!
You’re the J California Cooper of our time so please keep telling our stories.
ThanksSister Shelia and thanks for coming by. There are many many stories left to write about Center City’s inhabitants~
It is a family affair… LOVE U BABY!!!
Awwwwwwwww….that is SO sweet!!!
Aint it though…
Hey Baby~ that is my babydaddy~ umm babies daddy~
Cinnamon Bun, Black Man…..did Brown have a nickname?
Yes, Cinnamon called him B, she only called him B one time in this book but in the others he was B to her~
Ok…I remember now!
So, why was it important for Cinnamon not to immediately marry Black? Do you all think it would’ve mattered whether she did it immediately or not? If so, to who? If not, why?
Also, what about Brown? Did you feel at times he was desperate or simply reacting to what he had set in motion? Do you think in future books he’ll really get over losing Cinnamon?
Which character other than Aura would you like to see in a spin-off book?
What are some of the underlying themes of MRS BLACK?
If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be and why?
-Tee
OOO I want to answer the first question, Cinnamon had been raised very traditionally and over the years she had taken care of everyone, her mother who had lupus in book one, her best friend Alexandra who had a plethora of issues, Aura who had gone years without talking to her because she didnt want her mom to know she was a lesbian and Brown most of all and she was at that place where many women get at 50 ‘I AM GOING TO DO ME AT MY OWN SPEED’
So, why was it important for Cinnamon not to immediately marry Black? Do you all think it would’ve mattered whether she did it immediately or not? If so, to who? If not, why? Cinnamon needed to “find” herself again and if she immediately married Black she wouldn’t have given herself time to heal from baggage she needed to release.
Also, what about Brown? Did you feel at times he was desperate or simply reacting to what he had set in motion? Do you think in future books he’ll really get over losing Cinnamon? Oh heck yeah he was desperate. As Angelia pointed out earlier….Black and Cinnamon didn’t marry yet so who knows….maybe Brown could get her back….or mabye she doesn’t go with either one. Maybe this is why the title Mrs. Black has a question mark at the end.
So, why was it important for Cinnamon not to immediately marry Black? Do you all think it would’ve mattered whether she did it immediately or not? If so, to who? If not, why?
Cinnamon needed to feel free–free of any man. I think she felt that if he could wait this long for her, he would wait until she was ready.
Also, what about Brown? Did you feel at times he was desperate or simply reacting to what he had set in motion? Do you think in future books he’ll really get over losing Cinnamon?
Brown loved Cinnamon but to me he was too selfish to love her in the way she needed to be loved.
What are some of the underlying themes of MRS BLACK?
Forgiveness.
There is now an ebook/pdf of BROWN’S POSSESSION, A FAMILY’S PROGRESSION my personal favorite for $3.00 @ http://acvermen.blogspot.com
angelia
@Angelia, another thing I meant to talk about was your transition from writing under a pen name. I just tried finding the rest of the series of books on Amazon and kept getting nada. Then I remembered you wrote your first books under the name acVernon Menchan. Please share why you used a pseudonym of sorts and what made you decide to switch to using your full name.
-Tee
When I wrote that first book I had no idea what I was doing and the first book had much cussing~ so I went with acVernon Menchan for Angelia Cynthia Vernon Menchan. By the time I got to book four I decided to come out, so to speak. Not only that cussing and a bit of sex not withstanding I believed in what I had written. Not only that I was trying to keep my lives seperate,
Conservative Budget Analyst by day and provocative writer woman at night. My man helped with that he told me to write what I write and be who I be~ and the fact that my sons were so proud and walked around wih the covers of my books on Tshirts sealed the deal
Ummmkay, but with Vernon Menchan in there, do you really think folks didn’t know who it was you? LOL…I’m just saying!
(Really liking Mister and his advice to you! Tell’em Mr. Mench!)
-Tee
Tee no one knew remember I have not lived in my hometown for over thirty years an most people knew me as Angelia Menchan, only family knew the Cynthia component. In fact when I did my first book signing the women thought I was a man because I narrarted the first book as Black~
Ooooh…okay!
So, why was it important for Cinnamon not to immediately marry Black? Do you all think it would’ve mattered whether she did it immediately or not? If so, to who? If not, why?
I felt she was a little hestitant to marry Black, and I didn’t understand why until I read Angelia’s explanation. Now I understand a bit.
Also, what about Brown? Did you feel at times he was desperate or simply reacting to what he had set in motion? Do you think in future books he’ll really get over losing Cinnamon?
He was ridiculous and as was said in the book about another character he needed to man up. How did he expect to keep having affairs and not have to suffer the consquences…then again Cinnamon let that happen for so long. I sure do hope he does move on with his life and accept that he and Cinnamon are no longer an item.
Which character other than Aura would you like to see in a spin-off book?
I would like to see more about Muha and how he tackled his demons.
What are some of the underlying themes of MRS BLACK?
There are always consquences for your actions, good or bad. Family support was another theme, which I liked.
One thing for sure is that if Brown tries to get with Cinnamon you all would get the drama~ Black is definitely a REFORMED bad boy~
See I knew Black was to good to be true…LOL
Black became a good man, he was a womanizer in his youth and only cared about money, he had never told Cinnamon how he felt about her in the young years because he did not feel he was good enough for her. She was ‘A Black American Princess and he was known as ‘The G-Spot Player’ when he earned a million dollars and straightened up he told Brown he was coming back for her, but Brown married her first. There was a twenty year period when they didnt see each other at all. Book one covers from age eighteen to current day~
Although Mrs. Black? is a stand alone read it seems the triology should be read first to get the full effect of all the players.
Sharon,
you are right, to know all the dynamics that is true, but most people start with Cinnamon, then Brown, now Mrs. Black….Black’s Trilogy was the only book I didnt totally publish and it is very overpriced~ usually if someone purchase Cinnamon and Brown at regular prices I give them the FREE ebook of book one. That still stands~
I will definitely keep that in mind.
I don’t think Black will let Brown try anything with Cinnamon. If so then bring on the drama…I would hope.
Hey Angelia. Mrs. Black…MMM…What was Cinnamon really trying to do or say? She had her Center for the women/girls but she had her past sins too. Was she more concerned of what others thought of her by turning the other way for so many years?
I dont think Cinnamon was necessarily trying to do or say anything. One thing she knew and any woman knows is that there are many things we say we will never allow but life and circumstances changes the game. I KNOW many women who are well married and arent giving up a marriage over an affair or two, many, many, many women. Cinnamon was of the ilk and she and Brown had an amazing life together. She only KNEW of one affair, the others were ‘feelings’ As a writer, I dont write, right or wrong, I just write what is and the truth is that in this world many, many people have affairs and stay married. In fact, America is the only country where people see that as grounds for divorce. European women expect their men to have dalliances and they do as well~ I kid you not.
Angelia, I know of many women close to me that have turned the other way to affairs from their men to keep “face”. I don’t know of any that have had affairs with the best friend of the husband. That is a diffent look on things.
I was always asking myself how to handle Muhammed? How could I make my son understand that it was over between his dad and me but we still love him? Then the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and Muhammed has seem to pick up that apple. What can of advice could I give my child, Muhammed, my my experiences?
Making someone understand something isnt about what you have done but about teir own actions~ there are so many things I have been able to teach my kids, things that I messed up on~ as to the friend thing, cheating is cheating Cinnamon would have been just as wrong no matter who it was, there are no qualifications on wrong~ and BROWN knew what he was setting up he just thought he could control it~ I AM LOVING THIS
Cinnamon spoke a lot about God forgiving her of her wrong…did she not think God forgave Brown? We all learn from trial and error.
LaDena,
of course she knew God forgave Brown, SHE even forgave Brown, her relationship with God had nothing to do with Brown, his relationship was his and hers was hers. I dont think Cinnamon even judged Brown she was done with him. Moved on~
Angelia, you bless us all with your daily dose of reality. I’m not a coffee drinker but I do have to read your blogs to get my day started
Shelia,
RAMBLINGS is a ministry for me and I plan to do another one when I can work it out, I have an anthology coming in three weeks, another in May and am publishing a book of poetry for a young poet~ It will be entitled RE-Rambled~
Angelia, thanks so much for joining us today and sharing your characters! I’m so glad we were able to read and discuss Mrs. Black and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Everyone…thanks so much for your participation!
-Tee
Thanks Tee and RAWSISTAZ for having me~ much appreciation and to you all a HAPPY BLESSED NEW YEAR~
Congratulations!