Flaws and All Blog Tour with Shana Burton

August 17, 2010

Shana Johnson Burton is the best-selling author of Suddenly Single, First Comes Love, and Flaws and All. She lives in Georgia with her family and is currently a high school English and Journalism teacher and the co-host of “The Lovely Magazine” radio show . She was a 2009 Georgia Author of the Year nominee for Best Fiction (First Comes Love). Her next novel, Catt Chasin’, will be released in 2011.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Faith, family, and friendship have always been top priority to lifelong friends Lawson, Reginell, Sullivan, Angel, and Kina, but each one is about to be put to the test during one turbulent year.

Lawson Kerry is a struggling single mother who has finally gotten her life together. Now, a fierce custody battle with her ex threatens to the tear apart everything she’s built.

Reginell Kerry is a starry-eyed singer determined to make it to the top of the charts, but will she change her tune when a chance at fame means shedding her clothes and her self-respect?

Sullivan Webb is the pampered wife of a charismatic pastor with political aspirations, but she just might destroy her husband’s campaign and their marriage if she can’t control her wandering eye.

Angel King has dedicated her life to nursing following the destruction of her marriage. Can she maintain her professionalism when she discovers that her newest patient is the woman who stole her husband?

Kina Battle has had enough of her husband’s verbal and physical abuse. When she’s pushed to the edge, the situation heads in a deadly direction, and there’s no turning back.

Nothing is sacred, all bets are off, and the lives of these ladies will never be the same. Will they have the strength to hold on to their friendships and put their trust in God?

Shana Burton talks about her latest novel, Flaws and All, and shares an excerpt.

Click Here to Listen

Chapter 24 (Excerpt from Flaws and All)

“A true lady never kisses and tells.”

—Sullivan Webb

“Wow, Sullivan, you’re glowing!” noted Lawson over lunch the next day, poolside at Sullivan’s estate. “I guess ol’ Chuck hasn’t lost his touch.”

Angel lowered her shades. “She does have that morning after look, doesn’t she?”

Sullivan grinned and stretched out on the lounge chair next to Kina. “A true lady never kisses and tells.”

“But a freak details it blow by blow!” jeered Reginell, laughing and slapping hands with Angel. “Go on and tell us what happened.”

“Yeah, Sullivan, tell us which of the commandments you broke this time,” pushed Lawson, biting into a ring of pineapple.

Sullivan pinned her hands behind her head. “I can’t. It’s personal.”

“Personal gets checked at the door. You know that. Now, start talking.”

Sullivan cleared her throat and sat upright in her chair. “Well . . . I cheated on Charles,” she revealed.

Lawson nearly choked on her pineapple. “You did what?”

Reginell leaned back and crossed her legs. “Umph. I always knew there was a straight-up ho underneath all them designer clothes and foreign weaves.”

“It takes one to know one,” fired Sullivan.

“Sully, I can’t believe you would do that to Charles,” said Kina.

“Oh, I can believe it,” said Angel. “I just want to know with who.”

Sullivan smirked. “Vaughn.”

Lawson’s jaw fell. “The same Vaughn you said was rough around the edges?”

“He’s not so bad.” Sullivan giggled. “Actually, he was quite good!”

“It looks like Skankville just got a new resident,” muttered Angel.

“Hold up, now,” cut in Reginell, raising her hand. “I’ve got to side with Sully on this one. Sometimes you need to switch it up some. Variety is the spice of life.”

“Good. She can put that on a T-shirt. It’ll give her something constructive to do while she’s roasting in hell,” said Angel.

“God knows my heart,” rationalized Sullivan.

“You have one of those?” asked Reginell.

“Look at you. You don’t even feel guilty, do you? No repentance, no remorse,” charged Lawson.

Sullivan shook her head. “I can’t explain it. I do feel guilty, but it’s only because I feel bad about not feeling guilty at all. I feel . . . liberated, if you can believe that.”

“Sullivan, even if Charles never finds out, God knows, and He was watching you in the very act,” scolded Kina.

Sullivan poured a glass of juice. “Kina, that thought is disturbing on so many levels. Vaughn is so amazing, and I’m not just talking about the sex. He’s an artist, and he’s so intuitive and creative. He makes me feel more alive than I ever felt in my whole life. In the past three weeks that we’ve been spending time together, I haven’t had a single drink. I get love-drunk instead.”

“Enjoy it now. It may be hard to feel alive once Charles finds out, because he’s going to kill both of you,” replied Lawson.

Sullivan kicked back her heels. “I don’t even care if he finds out. I might even tell him myself. Maybe then he’ll finally divorce me.”

“All right, be careful what you wish for,” prophesized Angel. “The Bible says that you shall have whatever you say. Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”

Sullivan sighed. “Don’t even get me started on the power of Vaughn’s tongue.”

“Sully, you’re nasty,” said Kina with a frown.

This excerpt was posted with permission from the author. 2010 © Copyright. Shana J. Burton. All Rights Reserved.

Purchase the Book Online at:

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What is your Ministry featuring Vanessa Miller

March 30, 2010

What is your ministry or special gifts? What has God called you to do and are you walking in this ministry?  Or, like so many of us, are you dragging your feet, not necessarily disobeying God’s direction, but hesitant for one reason or another?

Last week, we chatted briefly with author Vanessa Miller during her Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour, but unfortunately our site went down several times.  So, my apologies to those who tried to join us, but were unable to do so.  We’re back today to wrap up with Vanessa.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

BOOK TRAILER (Yesterday’s Promise)

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

Also read the excerpt of Yesterday’s Promise and answer the questions Vanessa brought posed last week:

What do you think about women preachers? Should they preach the gospel or do you believe God has designed another path for women in the ministry?

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Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour with Vanessa Miller

March 23, 2010

Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller

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

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

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

Read an Excerpt from Yesterday’s Promise

Anxious to see her father and make sure he was all right, Melinda rushed down the hospital corridor that led to his room. He had been admitted to the hospital three days prior, complaining of chest pains. After several tests, the doctor had confirmed that no sign of a heart attack had been detected. Melinda was thankful that her father was recuperating and doing well. She was also excited to tell him about some wonderful, unexpected news she had received that morning.

Her father’s eyes were closed when Melinda walked into his hospital room. As she approached his bed, she noticed for the first time that his hair was no longer salt-and-pepper but completely white. The wrinkles beneath his eyes, which had long made him look distinguished, were now more pronounced and distracting. When did all of this happen? Melinda wondered as she picked up her father’s frail hand and pressed it to her cheek.

Bishop Johnson’s eyes fluttered as he turned toward his daughter. “Hey, baby girl. When’d you get here?”

“Just a few minutes ago. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get here earlier.”

“You had to handle my responsibilities at the church. Don’t worry about it. I had plenty of visitors this morning.”

Melinda sat down in the chair next to her father’s bed and hung her purse on the arm of the chair. “I have some good news, Daddy. I’ve been asked to speak at the Women on the Move for God conference in August!”

“That’s great, baby girl! But I have even better news.”

Melinda raised her eyebrows. “What, the doctor gave you a clean bill of health and said that you’ll live to be a hundred?”

Bishop Johnson shook his head and then blurted out, “I found you a husband.”

“Excuse me?” Melinda said in as even a tone as she could manage. After all, she was a thirty-seven-year-old woman living in the twenty-first century. Fathers didn’t go out and find husbands for their daughters in this day and age. “Please tell me you’re joking, Daddy.

“No joke to it,” Bishop Johnson said as he hoisted himself into an upright position. “I’m an old man, Melinda. I haven’t got many years left. I’d like to see at least one of my grandchildren before I die, you know?”

Melinda couldn’t deny that her father was showing signs of aging. But that didn’t mean death would sneak into his hospital room and suck out his last breath while she stood there and watched. “You talk as if you’ll die tomorrow.”

“I could. The next heart attack could be my last.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “It was an anxiety attack, Daddy. Stop being such a baby. The doctor says you’re fine.”

Bishop Johnson shook a shaky finger at Melinda. “Now, you listen to me. I’m eighty-two years old. I know what’s best for you, and that’s why I called Steven Marks.”

Melinda bolted out of her chair and moved away from her father’s bed. She put a hand to her mouth and shut her eyes, trying to block out the same feeling of humiliation she’d experienced when Steven had dumped her ten years ago. This has to be some kind of horrible joke, Melinda thought. But her father was a serious man who rarely joked with anyone.

“Calm down. It’s not as bad as you think,” he said. “I didn’t come right out and tell Steven I wanted him to marry you. He’s a smart young man…he’ll come to that decision on his own.”

“Why are you even talking to me about Steven, Daddy? That man walked out on me and married someone else. Do you really think I’d want him back now, just because his wife is dead?”

“Pride goes before destruction, Melinda.”

She really hated it when her father tried to rein her in by quoting Scriptures. “What does being prideful have to do with not wanting to marry a man who rejected me?”

“I have more to tell you. Would you please sit back down?”

Melinda inched back to her seat and slowly settled into it. If this marrying Steven Marks thing was supposed to be a buffer for the rest of her father’s message, then she was truly petrified. She glanced at her father with a look of apprehension.

“This last hospital stay has convinced me that I need to retire.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “I’ve been telling you for years now to retire. I can pastor Omega, and Pastor Lakes can take over as bishop.”

“Let me finish,” Bishop Johnson said, holding up a hand to silence Melinda. “I know the ministry goals that you have. I also believe that there is a way for you to do God’s will and also have a family. Plus, Steven’s church did not support him during his grieving process. They want him to leave, Melinda. So, after prayerful reflection, I’ve asked him to take over for me as bishop.”

Melinda must not have heard him right. He couldn’t have just said that Steven Marks—the man who’d called off their wedding because she’d refused to give up her dreams of preaching the gospel—was going to be the new bishop of Omega Christian Church. In Melinda’s mind, this could mean only one thing: her sin had finally caught up with her.

DISCUSSION & GIVEAWAY

What do you think about women preachers? Should they preach the gospel or do you believe God has designed another path for women in the ministry?

Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

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

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

*A Tywebbin Blog Tour

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Fifteen Years Blog Tour with Kendra Norman-Bellamy

February 23, 2010

Kendra Norman-Bellamy Addresses Foster Care in her latest release, Fifteen Years
Listen to the Excerpt

Can children in foster care be affected their entire lives by their experiences even if they have obtained a level of success?

ABOUT THE BOOK
Josiah Tucker, the son of a substance dependent and neglectful mother, spent most of his childhood years in the custody of the State, living in foster homes throughout Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of fourteen, he was taken from the foster family that he had grown to love, the Smiths, and returned to his negligent birth mother. Enduring the hardships faced while living with his birth mother JT manages to make something of his life.

However, fifteen years after being taken from the Smiths and at the peak of success, he finds himself feeling empty and at his lowest. When he decides to reconnect with the Smiths, JT finds his faith in God renewed and discovers his attraction to his foster sister.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KENDRA NORMAN-BELLAMY is a national best-selling author and the founder of KNB Publications LLC. She is the organizer of Visions in Print, an Atlanta-based national organization for faith-based writers, and The Writer’s Hut, an online fellowship for African American Writers. She is the founder of Cruisin’ For Christ, a groundbreaking at-sea ministry that celebrates writing, gospel music and other God-glorifying arts, and also serves as a motivational speaker.
A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kendra currently resides in Stone Mountain, George with her family.

For more information, visit www.knb-publications.com.

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

**A Tywebbin Blog Tour

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Open Hearts Blog Tour – Getting to Know Victoria Wells

February 11, 2010

victoriawells

Getting to Know Victoria Wells

When you’re not writing, what keeps you busy?  What are some of your favorite things to do?

Mostly reading keeps me busy when I’m not writing. Before I started writing I could easily knock out 3-4 books in a week. I really enjoy knitting, shopping with my daughters, traveling, and hanging out with family and friends.

What are three things your fans don’t know about you?

Hmm, let’s see. First, I flunked Chemistry in the 11th grade because I would hide my Harlequin romance novels behind my chemistry textbook and read all period long. Second, I have a very mischievous side to me that comes out to play every now and again. For instance I convinced my husband one Christmas to hide the kids’ gifts and put charcoal in their stockings.  And thirdly, I hate, hate, hate public speaking. I actually get all nervous jittering inside. But once I get going you can’t shut me up! LOL

If you could create a perfect day, what would it consist of?

Being able to do all the things that make me happy.  Spending quality time with my family, having my patients be 100% pain free (if only for a day), and having a block of time to write.

If you could go back and change one thing in your past, what would it be?

I wish I had gone to a historically black college. I feel like I missed out on a wonderful experience.

If you were granted three wishes, what would you wish for?

I would wish for longevity for both my hubby and me so we’d be around to spoil our grandchildren and great grandchildren, my children to live up to their optimal potential in life and not settle for a life of mediocrity, and to become financially secure before the age of retirement.

What five things do you want to accomplish or do in the next five years?

1)      Go to Tuscany, Italy. I fell in love with the place after watching the movie Under The Tuscan Sun.
2)      Finish all the home projects I’ve started and stopped.
3)      Learn to speak French fluently.
4)      Devote more time to my writing.
5)      Make it on somebody’s bestseller’s list! LOL

ABOUT THE BOOK

Key to My Heart by Victoria WellsKey to My Heart by Victoria Wells

Sassy talking, no-nonsense Ava Peretti has a mysterious past that has finally caught up with her. Agonizing nightmares terrorize her by night as painful memories of a love lost haunt her by day. Ava has vowed never to love again, but she will soon find out that sometimes vows are made to be broken.

Attorney Langston Warrington III is the one man that can make Ava love again. The only problem is . . . he’s her archenemy! And to make matters worse, Langston has a secret of his own—a secret that will change Ava’s life forever.

For more information and to follow the tour, please visit Victoria’s site at: http://www.victoria-wells.com

Leave your comments and be entered to win some great prizes courtesy of Victoria!

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Marriage 101 Blog Tour with Jewell Powell

November 17, 2009

**BLOG TOUR DRAWING**
At the end of the week, one winner (randomly chosen from all participating blogs) will receive a  $30 DATE NIGHT gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice (Applebees, Chili’s, Ruby Tuesday or Red Lobster) and a gift pack of books (includes Marriage 101, I Don’t Want a Divorce, and Have a New Husband by Friday.)

To enter, you MUST answer the question at the end of this post and actively participate in the discussion, not just leave an “I’d like to get this book, here is my email address.”

15 WAYS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR SPOUSE BY JEWELL POWELL

jewell-powell1. Listen attentively while your spouse is speaking, rather than concentrating on what you are going to say in response. This way, you can hear what your spouse is really saying. You may be also able to hear what your spouse is not saying, as well as what he is.

2. Learn to speak the same things (for example, you want to live debt free or have a happy, fulfilling marriage). If you are speaking the same things, you are in agreement. The scriptures ask, “Can two walk together unless they are in agreement?” The answer is no. Therefore, agreement is very important in a marriage.

3. Make eye-to-eye contact when you are speaking. Eyes will reveal anger, pain, sickness, and so on. Eye-to-eye contact also creates a connection between you and your spouse.

4. Think before you speak, thereby giving yourself time to speak your words with love. People are easily offended. Once anger or offense enters the conversation, the person who is offended stops listening and goes on the defensive. So think carefully before you speak.

5. Pray together. Again, this brings agreement, but more importantly, brings God into the conversation.

6. Dream together and write a vision. Understanding the purpose for your marriage should drive you and your spouse to accomplish God’s will for your life. Whether His reason is for you to raise your children a certain way, to start a business, to start a non-profit organization, to start a prayer meeting in your community, or to sing, every couple has a purpose.

7. Know your spouse and why she does what she does (for example, is it based on her upbringing? military background? being from a single-parent home? growing up poor?). Knowing this will help you to communicate more effectively. For example, if your spouse grew up poor, then you can understand why she responds a certain way when you spend a lot of money. Because of your spouse’s past, she might be used to people telling her to not spend as much or feelings of poverty may rear their ugly head.

8. Communicate with your spouse—he is not a mind reader. You must communicate your wants and desires.

9. Know what your spouse expects from you (such as dinner every night, or a phone call to let her know you are okay). You have been with your spouse long enough to know what she expects.

10. Understand what your mate is trying to say. Men are definitely from Mars and women are different from Venus. We can speak the same things, but in different ways. Understanding your spouse’s background and gender, and knowing his heart, will help you to decipher what he is really trying to say. For example, your spouse may have a hard time expressing love verbally but may be able to express it physically, giving you hugs or kisses that say, “I love you.”

11. Forgive one another. Every marriage, including yours, will get to a point at which your spouse will do something to hurt you. At the end of that day, make up in your mind to forgive your spouse. If you don’t, that unforgiveness will grow day by day until your heart is hardened or your ears get dull and you no longer want to hear what he has to say. Those are walls that start the separation process. Don’t let that happen. Forgive and move on. God says that He gives us new mercies every day; therefore, because He has given freely, you should give freely, too.

12. Compliment and say “I love you” and “I appreciate you” often. By doing this every day, this is something that can keep a marriage peaceful and strong.

13. Know the best time to talk with your mate. If your spouse is not a morning person, 7 AM is not the best time to have a serious conversation. If your spouse needs an hour after work to relax, wait to have that heart-to-heart.

14. Conduct family meetings regularly. This allows you to discuss what’s going on with the child(ren), plan dates and vacations, agree about large purchases, and other important matters.

15. Control your emotions. Keep your mouth shut! DO NOT discuss issues when either of you is upset. If your spouse is trying to discuss a matter while angry, find a way to let her cool off first. For example, excuse yourself to the bathroom and go pray. If you are the one who is upset, definitely pray first and wait until you are able to speak nicely.

© Jewell R. Powell, the Marriage Coach and author of Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith. For more information, visit www.marriage101.us

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

In July of 1992, Jewell met her Prince Charming at a Roy Rogers restaurant. When the couple decided to marry four years later, both were aware of the latest marriage statistics and the legacy of divorce that lay between them. Her parents divorced when she was four, after moving the family to Maryland, leaving her to be raised by a single mother. To circumvent the odds, they went through pre-marital counseling, attended church regularly and felt a strong love for one another. They believed they were ready for marriage.

While desiring to have a happily ever after, Jewell found life after marriage anything but a fairy tale. In 2001, she and her husband, Lewis, had been married for five years but were growing apart, after experiencing problems with infertility, sleeping in separate bedrooms and Lewis’s increasing disinterest in going to church. As she searched for answers to her marital troubles, Jewell found herself on a journey, seeking answers to save her marriage.

Despite a shaky beginning, the Powells now have a relationship with a strong foundation. After successfully resolving their marital problems, they started the Happily Ever After Marriage Ministry to help others do the same. Her new book, Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith (Revell Books February 2009, ISBN 978-0-8007-3332-2, $13.99), offers hope and guidance to help transform broken relationships through the use of biblical wisdom in a simple workbook format.

Jewell serves as co-owner of Antiok Holdings, an emerging full-service management consulting firm, which she owns with her husband. She earned a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Maryland and is pursuing a Master of Divinity. The Powells reside in southern Maryland with their two daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

marriage101Your marriage can be strong, healthy, happy, and blessed. Marriage coach Jewell Powell shows you how in this 8-week plan for marital success. She reveals how God’s truths can transform two individuals into the union he desires. Laying a spiritual foundation is crucial to your marriage. In Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith, you will discover God’s purpose for marriage, how to develop godly character, how to communicate effectively, and much more.

With biblical examples, study questions, and Scripture meditations perfect for individuals or couples, you will be challenged to examine areas in your life that may need change so that your marriage can thrive.

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/Marriage101.

For more information, visit Jewell at http://www.marriage101.us.

**BLOG TOUR DRAWING QUESTIONS:  Of the 15 ways to communicate effectively listed above, which ones seem the easiest?  The hardest?  Why?  Which one(s) do YOU need to work on?

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Banned from Vegas with Jean Holloway (Oct 5-31)

October 4, 2009

blackjackNia Promotions is excited to host Banned from Vegas with Jean Holloway. For the next month get ready to dive into play in the thrilling, and sometimes erotic, world of Black Jack!

Jean Holloway, author of thrillers—books from her Deck of Cardz series—a fiction detective storyline following the career of a female lead homicide detective Shevaughn Robinson.

Join us from October 5 – October 31, 2009 for a few blog interviews, radio interviews, exclusive excerpts, and more. Along the way we’ll have daily giveaways for commenters (where stated), three (3) Reader Prizes, and one (1) Reader Grand Prize. Also, one book club will win 10 copies of Ace of Hearts.

To learn more about Jean Holloway and her work visit www.deckofcardz.com. There you can download Black Jack eBook; watch the book video: Black Jack…Wanna Play, read the book synopsis; and more.

Virtual Stops

Oct. 5: Kickoff with Jean Holloway
Oct. 6:  Black Jack…Wanna Play? with RAWSISTAZ
Oct. 7:  5 Minutes 5 Questions with Joey Pinkney
Oct. 8:  Black Jack Excerpt with PHE Ink
Oct. 9:  Interview with Jean Holloway with Visual Arts Junction
Oct. 10:  Don’t Let the Grandma Fool Ya with Nia Promotions
Oct. 11:  Exclusive Excerpt from Black Jack
Oct. 12:  About Author Jean Holloway with author CM Jones
Oct. 13:  Introduces Black Jack Heroine Shevaughn Robinson with author Arlether Wilson
Oct. 14:  Separated at Birth with author Terra Little
Oct. 15:  Silent Revenge with author Adrienna Turner
Oct. 16: The Men in Jean’s Life with author Brooklen Borne
Oct. 17: Jean Holloway at Georgia Literary Festival
Oct. 18: Exclusive Excerpt from Ace of Hearts
Oct. 19: Show Your Kitty with author DeiIra Smith-Collard
Oct. 20: Jean Holloway Talks with Page Readers
Oct. 21: Fan Faire
Oct. 22: No Excuses…Just Do It with author Brooklyn Darkchild
Oct. 23: New Look, Same Thrill with author TL James
Oct. 24: Jean Holloway at Books & Brunch
Oct. 25:  Exclusive Excerpt from Deuces Wild
Oct. 26: Readers Sound Off with author Diane Dorce
Oct. 27: In My Own Words with Nia Promotions
Oct. 28:  Banned from Vegas’ Date with Destiny
Oct. 29: Evidence of Love with author Gail McFarland
Oct. 30: Banned from Vegas Lands in Houston (Hosted by PHE Ink)
Oct. 31: Holloway’s Halloween (Grand Prizes Announced)

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Del Bay Blog Tour with Paula Chase Hyman

September 17, 2009

paulachasehymanWhen author, Paula Chase Hyman, wrote a manuscript in 2003 about a bright-eyed optimistic fourteen year old, suburban girl who happened to be African American, the landscape of young adult fiction featuring contemporary Black characters was barren.

In 2004, Hyperion released Dana Davidson’s Jason & Kyra and from there the slow trickle of books featuring characters of color without race being the primary focus began.  And in 2006, So Not The Drama, Chase Hyman’s debut was acquired by Kensington Books to launch their YA line.  She went on to write four more books that followed Mina Mooney and her group of friends and The Del Rio Bay series officially joined the small fray of books depicting a more heterogeneous teen point-of-view.

Since then, Chase Hyman has been on a journey to inject books like hers into the literary mainstream, so they’re mentioned in the same discussion as books by Sarah Dessen, Cicely Von Ziegesar and Meg Cabot.

Paula also co-founded The Brown Bookshelf with five author friends. The site is dedicated to honoring vanguard authors and showcasing the myriad of talented African American children’s lit authors and illustrators flying under-the-radar of librarians, parents and teachers.

Visit her at www.paulachasehyman.com and www.thebrownbookshelf.com.

ONE-ON-ONE (Throwback) INTERVIEW
(Excerpted from our interview conducted March 2007 by Stacey Seay)

RAW:  Tell us all about you, the author.  And then tell us about the person behind the author.

I’m a type A, shoe-a-holic whose habits of multi-tasking have spun so out of control I can only relax 100% if I’m away from email access.  Oops, that’s the person behind the author.  Paula the author is a true pantser (as in, I fly by the seat of them when I write).  Even when I attempt to outline my stories, they tend to wander off where they want to once I begin writing.

RAW:  How long have you been writing and what has the experience been like for you?

I’ve always been a writer.  My parents have boxes of stories I wrote as a kid.  And I have a box, somewhere, of stories I used to write with my best friend, Nicki. It was like a create-your-own adventure deal.  I’d start the story and then she’d add on, then I’d add on etc…  I don’t think the story ever came to a true end.  I really need to find those things. They could make a good book.

Having my first book published has been an eye-opening experience.  There’s so much you learn about the publishing industry that you sort of wish you didn’t have to know, because it infringes a little on the creative side.  I always joke that I’ve gone from green to jaded in 12 months.  But it’s kind of true because so much of what I know now has forced me to always look at my writing as a business, with a critical eye. I have an agent who handles the serious lifting.  Still, I’m much more aware that I have to constantly juggle two very essential components – the business side and the creative arts side.

RAW:  What was the inspiration behind the book(s) and what inspired you to write young adult fiction?

In ’03 when I wrote So Not the Drama, my daughter was eight years old.  She had gotten to a point where she loved buying books and getting books at the library, but she wasn’t finishing them.  An avid reader, myself, this habit bothered me.  But then I began looking around at the books out there for young readers and it surprised me that YA fiction was still very much vanilla, twenty years later.  It wasn’t that books with black characters were lacking, but that 1) they were still either historical fiction or problem novels and 2) YA books, overall, weren’t diverse.  You had books with white casts.  And books with black casts.  Where were the books with multi-culti casts?  My daughter is growing up very much like I did, with a diverse base of friends.  There weren’t any books that showed that side of suburbia.  So I set out to create a book that would.

RAW:  I really enjoyed how you incorporated characters with diverse family lives and backgrounds into the story (Book 1).  Was this something you did purposefully?  How did you create your characters?

The idea for such a large cast came, once more, from my own reality as a teen and my daughter’s.  Some kids roll in huge cliques.  It was six of us, back in the day. And my daughter has no less than four close girl friends and a few close guy friends.  I’ve heard some minor grumbling that it’s “too” many people in So Not The Drama.  But I think a large circle of friends is realistic.  Even if you have one best friend, you have more than just that one friend.  So my Del Rio Bay clique rolls deep.  And when you have a large cast, it’s important that they’re different somehow.  Otherwise the characters begin disappearing into one another.

The friends share a common bond and many similarities, but it would have been unrealistic if they’d all been cut from the same exact cloth.  So yes, I did consciously set out to make the characters diverse.  For example, Mina, JZ and Michael all live in the same exact neighborhood.  But it’s pretty obvious that JZ’s parents are wealthier.  Also, JZ and Mina come from traditional nuclear homes, where Michael is being raised by a grandmother.  So even in the same nabe, there are distinct differences that help flesh out each character.

I’d say that my characters are a hodge podge of my own character traits, my teen clique, my daughter’s quirks.  All rolled into a big old potpourri of wacky, teen angst.

RAW:   How challenging is it to make your characters and plot relevant and interesting for today’s young readers?  What do you do to stay “hip” <<grin>>?

What’s funny is, being hip is so here today, gone tomorrow.  Yet, I can’t lie, I love that people think I’m hip and trendy.  Truth is, writing for teens is just where my heart is. I’ve worked with teens and children since I was in college.  And writing for teens is another way of mentoring for me.  I don’t intend for my books to have a lesson in them.  It’s fun, light-hearted fiction.  But if someone thinks twice about their own actions because of a misstep of one of my characters, that’s cool as hell.

Teens fascinate me.  The way everything is so dramatic and is life or death, it’s really something to behold.  Instead of feeling frustrated that they just don’t “get over it,” I envy that they’re in a place where their drama is relatively harmless.  They’ll figure out soon enough that a break up is nothing compared to holding a marriage together.  Or all the other adult balls life throws at you.

So my plots come from knowing that everything is a massive crisis when you’re a teen.  And I take that notion and run with it.  When you think like that, it’s not hard to create a plot point.  Maybe an adult would read it and think, how is an entire book based on a fight with your friend?  But a teen knows that one simple argument can send seismic waves through a friendship and take days or weeks to right.

RAW: As we close out the interview, share some words of advice or inspiration that have been shared with you that you always hold onto?

Now, I have no idea who uttered these words originally, but my father was the first one to say to me, the only constant in life is change.  I keep those words top of mind, because change is around us, all the time.  And change is the one thing that seems to frighten almost all people equally. Because for every welcome change in our lives there’s one or ten changes we’d prefer to reject.  For some reason, realizing that change is the only constant gave me a sense of control over the uncontrollable.  You may not be able to control some of it, but if you’re accepting of the fact that change is around the bend, you find ways to cope.

THE COMPLETE SERIES

The Del Rio Bay series books are:  So Not The Drama, Don’t Get It Twisted, That’s What’s Up!, Who You Wit’? and Flipping The Script.

sonotthedrama1dontgetittwisted2thatswhatsup3
whoyouwit4whoyouwith5

DEL BAY BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:

September 15: Shades of Romance
September 16: Devyn Burton
September 17: RAWSISTAZ
September 18: Linda Gerber
September 21: Melissa Walker & Readergirlz
September 22: Mitali’s Fire Escape
September 23: YA Fresh
September 24: Color Online
September 25: APOOO Book Club

Filed Under Blog Tours · 18 Comments  

Girl, Naw! Blog Tour

September 15, 2009

Meet LaCricia A’ngelle, author of Girl, Naw!

lacriciaangelleLaCricia A`ngelle is a licensed Evangelist, writer, and the President and CEO of His Pen Publishing LLC. A native of Chicago, LaCricia currently resides in Tennessee with her four children. Girl, Naw! is her first novel.

Her writing career began when she was a child writing songs, and short stories. LaCricia has always had a God given gift of putting words together.

As a Christian Fiction author, LaCricia not only writes for entertainment, but she also writes for ministry. Her goal in every piece of written work is to draw someone closer to Christ. The characters face real situations. LaCricia writes so that anyone can read her work and get something out of it, whether they are young or old. When you read a LaCricia A`ngelle original prepare to laugh, cry, pray, and stop to say “hmmm.”

How would you describe your writing style?

I would say my writing is contemporary Christian fiction. I write to a broad audience

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?

Most of the time I listen to music when I write. Depending on the scene I am writing at the time the music I listen to varies from Gospel to R&B/Soul

Tell us anything about you as a writer that you think might be interesting or unusual.

I sometimes verbalize scenes when I’m alone. I will audibly run through dialogue to make sure it sounds like actual conversation before I key it into the computer.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

No matter how long you have been working on your project, don’t get discouraged. Keep going to girlnawcompletion. If you have to push back a deadline, don’t beat yourself up, just keep pressing forward.

Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing?

I definitely pull some of my writing from things that I know. My life has at times truly been stranger than fiction. Because of this I have some interesting things I could put in my books from suspense, to drama, to laugh out loud comedy.

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

I was once told by my mentor Jacquelin Thomas to not focus on reviews. She said, “as long as you know you have written the best book you could, and you have written what God has given you to write then you can move forward, no matter what someone else says about it.” That being said I must admit I do like to see and hear good reviews about my work, but if I hear something less favorable, I reflect on Jacquelin’s words.

About the Book

Antoinette Walker has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those that know and respect her think she has it all, a wonderful husband, children that thrive in school, and a counseling practice that is growing by leaps and bounds. When hidden things from her past begin to surface, they threaten to destroy everything Antoinette loves. Only God can give her the strength to continue to counsel other women, as she struggles with her own issues of forgiveness. Will her faith be strong enough to help her stand in the midst of opposition?

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/GirlNaw

For more information about LaCricia, visit her at http://lacriciaangelle.com.

Filed Under Blog Tours · 11 Comments  

Sins of the Father Blog Tour (Aug 24-Sep 4)

August 20, 2009

sinsofthefatherblogtourThis tour is for Angela Benson, author of Sins of the Father (Avon 2009).

About the Author

Angela Benson’s numerous novels include the Christy Award-nominated Awakening Mercy, the Essence-bestselling The Amen Sisters, and Up Pops The Devil. Currently an associate professor at the University of Alabama, she lives in Northport, AL.  www.angelabenson.com

About Sins of the Father

Sins of the Father“Wonderful….An entertaining, enjoyable novel that deserves to be on every bestsellers list.” –Victoria Christopher Murray, bestselling author of Too Little, Too Late

Successful media mogul Abraham Martin has great wealth, an elegant wife, Saralyn, and a rebellious son, Isaac. He also has a secret: a second family that no one knows about. Now, after thirty years—driven by the urging of his long dormant conscience—Abraham is determined to do the right thing by finally bringing his illegitimate children into the light…and into the family fold.

But beautiful, manipulative Saralyn will never accept the proof of her husband’s indiscretions. Isaac the heir, shaken by his father’s revelations, will fight mercilessly when his world is threatened, and may lose everything that matters as a result. And while Abraham’s forgotten daughter Deborah is open to the undreamed-of possibilities suddenly awaiting her, son Michael cannot forgive the man who cruelly abandoned them to near poverty. And he’s driven by only one desire: revenge!

Angela Benson’s Sins of the Father is a powerful story of a house bitterly divided—a rich, multilayered family saga of betrayal and redemption, rage and compassion, faith, forgiveness, and ultimately, of love.

VIRTUAL TOUR

ONLINE RADIO SCHEDULE

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 24

Tuesday, August 25

Wednesday, August 26

Thursday, August 27

Friday, August 28

Monday, August 31

Tuesday, September 1

Wednesday, September 2

Thursday, September 3 (FIRST Wild Card Tour)

Friday, September 4

Filed Under Lit Events · 2 Comments  

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