Just in case you missed debut author Carolyn Moncel & the release of her short story collection Encounters in Paris, we’re showcasing her fall 2010 press release.

PRESS RELEASE

New Short Story Collection Confronts Love and Lost in the City of Light

First-time Fiction Author Carolyn Moncel Releases Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, November 9, 2010 — African-American author, Carolyn Moncel announced today the release of Encounters in Paris, her first collection of short stories.

Ellery Martin-Roulet, a 35-year-old American public relations executive living and working in Paris has the perfect life. She is married to a handsome Frenchman, has adorable twin daughters and a successful bilingual PR firm located in one of Paris’ trendiest arrondissements. Unfortunately, Ellery soon realizes that life isn’t always perfect. When betrayal, loss, and regrets enter Ellery’s world at five different periods of time over a ten-year span, she quickly learns that it is how she chooses to deal with life’s trickiest situations that shapes her soul.

“We all have fallen in and out love or encountered life’s various disappointments, but both good and bad experiences make us who we’re meant to be,” says Moncel, a Chicago native, who has lived between Paris and Lausanne, Switzerland for the last eight years. “Working through real-life problems is never neat and tidy. In fact, it can be quite a messy affair but problems remain until they are confronted and resolved one way or another.”

Moncel is a life-long storyteller. She admits that choosing to write a collection of short stories instead of a novel–an even riskier endeavor for any aspiring author in a down economy–was no accident. In today’s fast-paced society, Moncel believes her fans will want more short stories because they provoke introspection. “To really enjoy a short story, one must slow down and think about the characters and their circumstances,” says Moncel. Short stories are more affordable and easily digestible in one sitting; and can be downloaded and read quickly from eBook readers or smart phones.

“Writing short stories provides the perfect format for inviting readers to take a peek inside the lives of others, if only for a brief moment,” says Moncel. “Stylistically, I am allowed to say my peace, get off the page, move on to another story, and I love it!”

About Carolyn Moncel
A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2001. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC (www.motiontemps.com), a Digital Project and Web Content Management firm, and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications (www.mondaveinc.com), a media relations and publishing company. S

he has written, placed articles and been featured in such diverse publications as Entrepreneur.com, Expatica.com, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Wired News, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Working Mother, Bonjour Paris and PrissyMag. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. Encounters in Paris is her first work of fiction. Her next collection of short stories, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover will debut in fall 2011.  Discover her other works at www.carolynmoncel.com.

About Encounters in Paris
Published in October 2010 by Mondavé Media via CreateSpace, Encounters in Paris – A Collection of Short Stories is now available in paperback and also in digital format for Kindle at all major online bookstores including,

Amazon.com (http://bit.ly/cB9bfR). The retail price for paperback is $17.99. The Kindle edition is $9.99. Single story downloads start at $2.99. The ISBN number is: 978-1-4538-9821-5. Ms. Moncel is available for appearances, book club discussions and interviews.

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TIP FOR WRITERS:
There has never been a better time to become a writer. Everyone has at least one story to tell. Keep writing and never give up.

BOOK TRAILER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6P8P9AoU0

STAY CONNECTED
Website: http://www.carolynmoncel.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Encounters.in.Paris
Twitter: http://twitter.com/carolynmoncel
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/motiontemps

AUTHOR BIO

Angela Nicole Parker is a freelance writer who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of Tethered and writes Under the Hill, a column that takes an irreverent look at life as a thirty-something singleton.

TETHERED SYNOPSIS

Madison Baldwin is having a bad year. Her fiancé, the commitment-phobic Spencer Newman, is getting cold feet. Her divorced parents can’t seem to stop fighting or, much to her chagrin, making out. To make matters worse, her “perfect” half-sister Jaqueline has flown all the way from across the pond to make her feel even more inadequate. The only bright spot in her life is Craig Barnett, her life-long friend and champion, whose cool demeanor and playful sarcasm is masking a secret that will change Maddie’s life [Tethered] forever…

LINKS

Angela Nicole Parker’s Facebook Page

Angela Nicole Parker Online, Angela Nicole Parker’s official website

Angela Nicole’s Parker Twitter Page

Under the Hill Blog, an irreverent column on life as a thirty-something singleton

The Parkerverse, Angela Nicole Parker’s official writer’s blog

Shawneda Marks

Over the years she found emotional healing through disciplined intimacy with Christ and now wants to empower emotionally traumatized girls and women to do the same. For more information on bringing Diamond Butterfly to your church go to www.diamondbutterfly.info.

Emotional trauma at any age is devastating; at a young age it is brutal. You need a safe place to share what you’re going and have been through. Being open about the pain, hurt, anger and other myriad of feelings present after being grossly neglected, hurt, abused, molested, and betrayed is an important part of being able to heal.

She prays over time you encounter on theses pages and in every area of your life what is needed for God to wipe away the pain until you sparkle and shine. Let the Lord lift every burden and free you from your pain. God protected you against things that have taken many others out. He can give you what you need to mount up on wings like an eagle and let the world see the beauty of your wings when you fly.

Love, life and the capture of joy is not only attainable but guaranteed in life when you decide to commit to an intimate relationship with Christ. Join in the discussion about loving beyond hurt, life after pain and joy instead of bitterness. Abuse, neglect and betrayal are not the end of the world. How you respond is can be the beginning of life more abundantly promised in the Word of God.

Visit her website at http://www.shawneda.com.

For Advanced Reader Copy Excerpts – http://bit.ly/smpeeks

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:

• Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Flaws-All-Shana-Burton/dp/1601628528/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281193452&sr=8-1
• BarnesandNoble– http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Flaws-and-All/Shana-Burton/e/9781601628527/?itm=1&USRI=flaws+and+all+shana+burton
• Borders – http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=1601628528
• Books A Million – http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781601628527?id=4715246323067
• Indiebound – http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781601628527

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Visit the author at http://www.shanaburton.com/

• View the blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/FlawsandAll.

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?

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

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

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 11^th 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 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!

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

1. 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

Your 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?

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)

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.

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

LaCricia 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 completion. 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.

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

“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

• August 18 - Sistah Confessions (9 pm EST)
• August 24 – AAMBC Online Radio (8 pm EST)
• August 25 -The Sharvette Mitchell Show (6 pm EST)
• August 26 - Inspiration Station (6:30 pm EST)
• August 26 -WordThirst Literary Online Radio Show (8 pm EST)
• August 31 -  Black Authors Network (8-10 pm EST)
• September 2 - Steve Kendell (11 am CST)
• September 3 – Chocolate Pages Show (6 pm EST)

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 24

Tuesday, August 25

• APOOO Books
• Tia McCollors

Wednesday, August 26

• Written Voices Blog
• Vanessa Richardson

Thursday, August 27

• Christian Fiction Blog
• The Pleasing Spoon

Friday, August 28

• Joey’s Reviews
• The Rapturous Reader

Monday, August 31

• Black Pearl Magazine
• Simply Said Reading Accessories

Tuesday, September 1

• RAWSistaz Literary Group
  
• Patricia Woodside

Wednesday, September 2

• SORMAG
  
• BookSplurge

Thursday, September 3 (FIRST Wild Card Tour)

• Mimi Pearson
• Marta Hoelscher
• Amy Riley
• Christi Stapleton
• Cecelia Dowdy
• Kim Clay
• Laura Williams
• Janna Ryan
• Andi Johnson

Friday, September 4

• Victorious Cafe

Tia, tell us about yourself.

Wow! That’s such a broad question. Besides being an author of Christian novels, my first love (and first priority as far as I’m concerned) is taking care of my family. This November my husband Wayne and I will celebrate five years of marriage. Since the day we said, “I do,” we’ve been blessed with two children. Evidently they were sent here to keep us young and spry because we have a very lively three year old son and a daughter who’s almost one.

In my (limited) free time, I love to read, browse through home decorating books (which means I’m a HGTV junkie), and enjoy scrapbooking – which by the way I’m about one hundred and twenty pictures behind on!

Would you say you are an extrovert or introvert?

Definitely an extrovert.

Do you like to cook? If so, what are your favorite dishes to cook?

Nope..I don’t like to cook, but a person’s gotta eat right? I’m the queen of casseroles because I’m all about mixing ingredients, throwing it in the oven, and setting the timer. But on another note – this isn’t a “cooked” dish –  but I make a slammin’ banana puddin’.

Do you like books being turned into a movie? If so, what is your favorite book-to-movie?

I don’t mind when books are turned into movies even though with a movie it’s hard to thoroughly depict every character and include every scene. If I think about recent movie releases, I’d say the producers did a good job with The Secret Life of Bees. And oh yeah, I don’t know how I forgot about The Color Purple.

If your book was turned into a movie who would you cast to play your characters?

For The Last Woman Standing I would cast Angela Bassett as Lynette Bowers (the ex-wife), Taraji P. Henson as Sheila Rushmore (the current girlfriend), and Blair Underwood as Ace Bowers (the man in the middle).

Which social networks do you enjoy the most?

You know what? I really need to get better about maximizing the capabilities of the social networks out there. Right now I tend to be on Facebook the most and have recently been getting tapped back into Shoutlife.

What’s next for you?

I know authors are supposed to think three books ahead, but I can’t say I have a solid idea in mind. I have a few I’ve been tossing around, but nothing concrete. Most of my faithful readers have been asking about a sequel to my first novel, A Heart of Devotion. We’ll see.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lynette Bowers had no intention on falling in love with her ex-husband, “Ace” Bowers. After all, it has been ten years since their marriage ended, and two years since the beginning of his relationship with the younger and prettier, Sheila Rushmore. Besides Sheila, everyone knows that only a fool makes the same mistake twice, especially when it comes to marriage.

Ace seems stuck between his past and his future. With his conflicting emotions, he risks losing two women who hold a significant place in his heart. It’s going to take his faith and God’s love to handle the ensuing drama.

Sheila is starting to see Ace’s ex-wife as a threat to her lifelong dreams of achieving the happily-ever-after. Sheila is used to getting what she wants – except Ace’s commitment to marriage. When Sheila realizes Lynette may be the cause, she launches a plan to play the hand of God, instead of allowing Him to bring the love all three of them desire.

THE LAST WOMAN STANDING BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

Tia McCollors is the author of four Women’s Fiction books. Read the question below to see if you can answer it and provide the name of the book in which it was featured.

What is the name of Monet Sullivan’s long-time (but unequally yoked) love interest in Zora’s Cry?

Leave your answer in the comment section. All posts with correct answers posted to the blog comment sections will be entered in a random drawing for prizes. The more you post (with correct answers) the better your chances.  Winners will be contacted via email and also posted on Tia’s Blog, “From Tia’s Pen”.

Contest prizes include:

1. $5 gift card to Smoothie King or Panera Bread (Winner’s Choice)
2. $5 gift card to Chick-Fil-A
3. $10 gift card for Border’s
4. Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing
5. Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing

Follow the rest of The Last Woman Standing Blog Tour at:
http://bitly.com/TheLastWomanStanding

Tia’s Contact Info:

• www.TiaMcCollors.com
• Tia@TiaMcCollors.com
• www.myspace.com/TiaWrites
• http://www.shoutlife.com/TiaWrites
• Visit Tia’s blog: www.TiasPen.blogspot.com

AUGUST 2009

Coloronline (Blog)
http://www.coloronline.blogspot.com
We are a community organization dedicated to empowering young women. We operate a library and offer support to young girls at local non-profit in Detroit. Our blog focuses on women writers of color for children, YA and adults. Find reviews, quizzes, interviews and more.

African American Literary Awards Show (Event)
http://www.literaryawardshow.com
The AALAS is an entertainment event production and marketing company with a focus on writers and authors.  AALAS produces an annual  Literary  Awards show to recognize, honor, celebrate and promote the outstanding achievements and contributions that African-American authors and writers make to the publishing, arts and entertainment industries.

From Cover to Cover Radio Show (Radio Show)
http://www.fromcovertocovershow.com
Two bestselling authors with extensive media experience, ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Pat Tucker have joined creative forces to launch From Cover to Cover literary radio talk show.
The show, which is designed to explore aspects of the literary industry, provides a venue for authors to expand their audience and readership through the powerful medium of FM Radio and the Internet.

LABBX – Los Angeles Black Book Expo (Event)
http://www.labbx.com
The Los Angeles Black Book Expo (LABBX) is a non-profit community-based organization founded in 2004 to advance African world community literary and spoken word activity governed by an executive circle and administered by an executive director. Event is scheduled for August 22, 2009.

BlackBookReleases.com (Website)
http://www.blackbookreleases.com
A comprehensive listing of black book releases, presented by Urban-Reviews.com

Books and Beignets (Book Club)
http://www.booksandbeignetsbookclub.com
Books and Beignets (BAB) was established in March 2009 by Sonya Ward in Monroe, LA.

Mahogany Books (Bookstore)
http://www.mahoganybooks.com
Created by an enterprising husband and wife duo in the Washington DC area, MahoganyBooks is positioned to become the premier online destination for books written for, by, and about people of the African Diaspora. Coupling a dynamic social networking community, robust inventory selection, easy to use website, and provocative literary content–MahoganyBooks is the ideal online bookstore dedicated to “Books, Community, Words, & You.”

Segregation and a chain link fence separated twelve-year-old Sally Flowers from her best friend, Ella Ward. Yet a brutal assault bound them together. Forever. Thirty-eight years later, Sally, a middle-aged Midwestern instructor, dredges up childhood secrets long buried beneath the waters of a Louisiana bayou in order to help her student, who has also been raped. Fragments of spirituals, gospel songs, and images of a Katrina-ravaged New Orleans are woven into the story.

Take a Sneak Peek inside “What the Bayou Saw”

Chapter 1

Call to Action

I see the bad moon arising. I see trouble on the way.

-John Fogerty, “Bad Moon Rising”

October 25, 2005, Normal, Illinois

Need to speak to you before class. Today. It was just a sheet of paper stuck under the wiper blade of her Suburban. Yet something about the bold black letters sent a chill up Sally Stevens’s back. Then she thought of her Sam and thawed a bit. He’d written this, wanting to schedule a coffee date. It was his math professor way of being romantic, yet it seemed odd that he’d disguise his handwriting. Maybe it was a peace offering after that little misunderstanding last night over her headache.

It nagged at Sally as she stuffed the note into her skirt pocket. Maybe it was from a student, since it referenced class. But how had it gotten under her wiper, inside her garage? She fumbled for her keys, then shrugged it off as one of those mysteries, like unmatched socks and empty cookie jars. It was just a note.

A glance at her watch told her she’d better get going if she wanted to spiff up her lesson plans before her eight o’clock class. She started the car, turned on the radio, and managed to back out of the garage without clipping the rearview mirror.

I hear a hurricane’s a blowin’. I hear the end is comin’ soon . . .

CNN images of post-Katrina New Orleans flooded her mind as Creedence Clearwater’s lyrics poured out of her car speakers. By the time Sally had pulled into the nearly empty parking lot at Midwest Community College, her mood was as black as the charcoal-streaked clouds, amassing liquid weaponry as they began to obliterate the blue sky.

Sally grimaced. It was the start of a war-a Midwestern winter. A war requiring her to summon every character trait she’d inherited from the Flowers clan, a genetic jumble of Cherokee, English, and Cajun ancestors, who’d certainly had their share of troubles in this land. A clan she’d left down in Texas. A clan that, with the exception of Mama and her crazy aunt Gayle and uncle Will, hadn’t edged a toe over the Mason-Dixon line for a visit. And she’d been up here for nearly ten years-three years in Indiana, over six years in Illinois. The steering wheel became a target for Sally’s frustration as she drummed it, squeezed it, forcing one of Daddy’s old sayings into her mind: “You can do it-you have no choice. We Flowers not only survive, we thrive.”

The college administration building, a gray concrete monolith, windowless on the long walls, did nothing to dispel the feeling that Sally was in a war zone. As an afterthought, it seemed, someone had planted twiggy saplings and anemic burning bushes around the perimeter of the building. The pitiful things bent in bare-branched surrender to the west wind, the biggest weapon in winter’s ample arsenal.

. . . it’s bound to take your life. There’s a bad moon on the rise.

With a twist of the knob, Sally stopped the music. What possessed some Midwest deejay to play Southern rock and tweak at the chords of her heart like this? She’d accepted being a Midwesterner, and had adjusted darn well. But like any good Southerner, she longed to go back home. And when the sun shortened its daily visits, when the wind hinted at snow and sleet, she almost hated it here.

Hate. Sally shivered, not only from the cold, but also from the emotion involved with even thinking that word. “Hate never solved anything,” Mama always told her, waggling her finger and clucking like an old hen. As Sally checked the rearview mirror for orange pulp in her teeth or smudged lipstick, she knew Mama was right.

She leaned closer to inspect her makeup. Menopause’s marks made her grimace. A complexion as drab as this campus. Her eyes? Dull as used spark plugs, and ringed with dark smudges from a halfhearted attempt at eyeliner. Even her hair, once a crown of glory, at least according to Mama, had been infiltrated with so much gray, Sally couldn’t see any blond in the shaggy mess, even though Sam assured her that he could. But with Suzi in college and Ed having all kind of senior year expenses, a good stylist was out of the question. Maybe she should succumb to a Clairol kit, but Mama always said those were for trailer trash and fast women.

Just thinking about Mama made Sally raise her head and jut out her chin, considerably tightening up her middle-aged jawline. Mama had taught her to face bad hair days, bad any kind of days, with a smile. “Don’t let them know how you really feel. You can change the world with a smile. Plus, honey, did you know it burns more calories than frowning?” Sally plastered on a grin that would make even a Southern mother proud.

Maternally fortified, Sally grabbed her briefcase and purse and got out of the truck. She didn’t have to shut the door-the wind did it for her. Snippets of the spirituals she planned to play, the pop quiz she planned to give, spun on the turntable of her mind. She had so much to do if she wanted to teach these kids about protest music, so much-

“Well, well. Just who we wanted to see.”

Wha-Sally’s blood ran cold. It couldn’t be, could it? Rufus’s hateful voice, Rufus’s hateful tone. Risen from the murky waters of that bayou to haunt her. She whirled, and so did the scenery. Like a crazy carnival ride, everything blurred into whites and blacks and grays. She gripped her briefcase, which had become a roller coaster lap bar.             

—

Are you interested in reading more?  CHAPTER ONE will be continued on the tour tomorrow. Purchase What The Bayou Saw at Amazon.com.

For more FREE peeks inside “What the Bayou Saw,” be sure to view the full blog tour schedule at http://bitly.com/WhatTheBayouSaw.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University in 1977 with a B.S. in education. She taught at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, until she retired in 2006 to pursue writing full time. She has two grown children with her husband, Alan, and lives in Illinois. Visit Patti online at http://www.pattilacy.com/.

RAWSISTAZ talks to Toyi Ward, author of Par for the Curse,

How long did it take you to write Par for the Curse. 

Five years from first word to press. But I was working full time so I anticipate I could have completed it in a couple of years if I were working on it full time.

How would you describe your writing style?

In one word….Real. There was a period of time when I stopped reading fiction because it was mushy to my brain. I wanted something to stimulate me even if it was a fictional account of something. So I endeavor to make my readers feel like they are reading a true story about someone else.  I also work hard to provide proper sentence structure with an intentional rhythm. Even though my books aren’t neccessarily literary I desire for them to be well-written in form and in story.

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

No, I don’t.  I write in silence or with just an open window and the sounds of outside birds, wind, rain, or whatever.

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

I’m always reading three books at a time when I write:  A book on writing craft, a novel I think is quality fiction, and a spritual development/living book.  Those three help me to keep my center and stay focused on producing the best of what’s inside of me.  It’s the reason why I have an Amazon Kindle.  I need all three books with me always.  I must read before I write. Go figure!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

I have two very important lessons that will always stay with me.  Number one, You must never quit.  Number two is a profound lesson I learned.  The subject that you dread the most is the one you should write about. Be uncomfortable. It will produce a raw and authentic representation of your voice. 

Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing?
Yes, always.  I consider my writing a ministry.  You cannot minister effectively anything that you haven’t been through. As a writer, I always have some sort of connection with what I write.  It’s why my writing process is so complicated at times because I start with something I know and turn it into something unrecognizable but with the same message and theme.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Stormy has grown up with the warning that she is cursed. Raised in a family of eight women with twenty-four husbands among them, she has managed to escape the family’s legacy thus far. Things begin to change once she is given the details concerning a hex that was cast upon her great grandmother over eighty years ago.

Managing the antics of her adulteress young cousin, Riley, exhausts Stormy. Comforting the heartbreak of her older cousin Lourdes, angers her. After a devastating turn of events on par with her birthright, Stormy decides to seek a remedy for the family’s plight. She travels to New Orleans determined to find answers. Along the way she faces a quilt of obstacles and a set of choices that challenge her reality. Will she reveal the information or continue playing the hand she was dealt by an angry young woman in the Bayou?

Par for the Curse reveals the influence of voodoo and the impact of generational secrets on family, life, and love.

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