New Year, New You

Hello Beautiful People,
Well, we did it again! We have all survived the madness and mayhem of yet another holiday season and are on the brink of celebrating the beginning of another new year. 2010 is just hours away. Hard to believe, isn't it?
What goals have you set for yourself in the upcoming year? How do you plan to reach those goals? Do you know what you want to do differently in 2010 than you did 2009?
If you have already made your "resolutions" for the new year or if you don't have a clue what you want to change in 2010 and need a few ideas, I invite you to click on this link http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2446088/top_ten_2010_new_years_resolutions.html?cat=2 and check out the article. I encourage you to then send it to five (5) women you know and love and want to see empowered to live better in 2010.
I have made one "resolution" for 2010. That's right. Only one. I will reveal what that "resolution" is on January 1, 2010. You can read about it and follow me throughout 2010 to chart my progress, provide encouragement and/or advice, listen to me complain (and believe me, there will be plenty of complaining) etc. at www.xpressyourselfpublishing.blogspot.com . This will be a 365-day journey and I want you all there with me.
Well, that's all for now. Until next time...Happy New Year!

Author's Predictions Confirmed, AGAIN!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Xpress Yourself Publishing
P.O. Box 1615
Upper Marlboro, MD 20773
Contact: Jessica Tilles
Phone: (301) 390-3645
Email: JTilles@aol.com
www.xpressyourselfpublishing.com


SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE WRITER, CHRIS BERMAN IS
ON TARGET AGAIN!

December 17, 2009, Upper Marlboro, Maryland — Chris Berman, best-selling author of The Hive, is now two for two with his new novel, Red Moon. Chris accurately predicted the discovery of water ice on the Moon, a key plot element of his book, over a year before this was confirmed by the NASA LCROSS lunar probe. Now, it looks as if Berman has gotten it right again with China’s ambitions in outer space.

Red Moon, set in the near future of 2017, predicts that the People’s Republic of China lands a military expedition on the Moon with the purpose of claiming the valuable lunar ice fields and the abundant resources of titanium and aluminum ore. The very existence of water ice on the Moon, a ready source of oxygen, hydrogen for rocket fuel and of course drinking water, make access to these resources a reality to any nation willing to put forth the effort to develop them. These resources will not only boost the economy of that nation or nations, but also provides the ultimate high ground in both economic and military control of outer space. In Chris Berman’s novel Red Moon, China indeed lands a mission to secure the lunar ice fields in the year 2017.

While this is a novel of speculative fiction, Mr. Berman’s prediction of water ice on the Moon was one hundred percent accurate. Now in a related story by Associated Press Journalist, Christopher Bodeen, the plot of Red Moon appears ominously close to the truth. In the Associated Press article dated November 27, 2009, Mr. Bodeen reports that China’s lunar ambitions are to land a series of unmanned probes on the Moon with a manned landing in 2017, three years ahead of America’s return to the Moon, just as predicted in Red Moon. The Associated Press article also makes a strong connection between China’s space program and their anti-satellite and advanced space weapons programs. Christopher Bodeen also states in the article that China’s secretive and military-based space program is being fueled by their booming export economy. The Associated Press article reads as if it were lifted right from the pages of Red Moon. Chris Berman adds, “With our dependence on the flood of cheap Chinese made products coming into our country, we are, in the words of Vladimir Lenin, “Paying for the ropes that the Communist nation will hang us with.” Mr. Berman also states that Red Moon should be in the hands of NASA, the Joint Chiefs of the United States and the President. Red Moon is a prophetic tale and a warning sign as we head into the future, not to ignore the incredible economic and military potential that the Earth’s Moon holds for our nation.

Chris Berman Chris has an extensive background in astronomy and is a spaceflight enthusiast; familiar with the space programs both here in America and in Russia.
He resides in Saint Augustine, Florida with his wife, Lareesa Polyakova and daughters Marina and Sabrina.


Red Moon
By Chris Berman

ISBN: 978-0-9779398-1-7
Publication Date: December 31, 2009
Trade Paperback; 308 pages
Qty/Case: 24
Retail: $15.95

Distributed by: Ingram Book Group and Baker & Taylor

This title is available wherever books are sold, as well as all online retailers.

For more information on this title, and other Xpress Yourself Publishing titles, visit www.xpressyourselfpublishing.org.

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First Glimpse: Office Affairs by Caramel Vixen

Meet Allysia Donaldson, CEO of Ample Delights

Allysia Donaldson is a woman who has always known what she wanted professionally. She pursued her dream of owning her own clothing line and is now the CEO of Ample Delights, a company that caters to the thick madams of the world. At the young age of thirty, Allysia has accomplished a lot but yet she feels a void. As much as she has pursued professionally, she has run away from in her personal life.

Davis is a single, hard working father. He lost his wife to cancer. Even though women are constantly throwing themselves at him, Davis doesn't date. The one woman he wants won't give him the time of day. If Allysia would only open her heart to him, Davis would fill that void in her life. She may see him as only a delivery guy but if she would only take the time to get to know him she would realize there's so much more to Davis Jackson.

Office Affairs is a funny, erotic novel about love and the discovery of self worth!

ISBN-13: 978-0-9779398-0-0, Xpress Yourself Publishing.com

Retail $13.95 Erotica

Click on Book Cover to Learn More!

* * * * * * * * *

First Glimpse: Office Affairs (Contains Explicit Language)

“Damn!” I was highly stressed and my vibrator friend wasn’t doing its job. I needed some release and I needed it fast. I wasn’t dating anyone so I did what I had to do. I picked up the phone and called Fred’s ol’ country ass. Fred, my estranged husband, seemed surprised to hear my voice, but when I told him to come over he came running.

Now, I know that when I married him I was just settling but I don’t have time to look for real love. I certainly did not have the time then to search and hunt or even worse wait to be hunted when I met Fred. My company was just getting off the ground. Love just had to take a backseat to my career.

"Oh shit!” Fred was opening up Pandora's Box with his powerful tongue. All of my juicy secrets were being licked away as he stroked my clit with his tongue and wrapped his lips around mine. Who knew a little pink flap could bring such pleasure?

My body tingled all over as his tongue tangoed with my clit. I've never had a seizure but the way my body was shaking and saliva was pouring out of my mouth, I just knew I was about to have one. I probably would have bit my damn tongue off! That's just how intense my orgasm was. I unloaded all my liquid ecstasy into my ex’s open, awaiting mouth.

That was just the beginning though. Fred flipped me over, smacked my thick ass and rammed his eight-inch dick inside my wet pussy. I wanted to wrap my lips around it but I guess he wanted the hotness that only my pussy could deliver.

The man pumped hard and fast. His thrusts were quick and short. I tried to speak but every word got caught in my throat as his nuts slapped my behind. Then Fred slowed down. The slower, longer thrusts felt so damn good that I started speaking in tongues. I didn't know what the hell I was saying and Fred didn't give a shit. He just kept on pumping, picking up the pace until the thrusts were short, quick, and hard again. I felt his dick pulsate just before he screamed, releasing his white chocolate inside of me.

"Damn!” He said, almost out of breath. Damn was right! My soon to be ex-husband knew how to make him some serious love. I once thanked God for that man each and every day because he had brought it each and every day. No man had ever eaten my pussy or fucked me as good as Fred. He had always left me completely satisfied.

My elevator of bliss was rising towards cloud nine. Yes, his loving was like that! But just before I got to cloud six, Fred’s ass had the nerve to ask, "So, have you thought any more about having a threesome?"

Copyright 2010 Caramel Vixen. All rights reserved.

Advice from the Top by author Valencia Campbell

Advice from the Top: What Minority Women Say About Their Career Success

»» Listen to the audio book preview

»Advice from the Top by author Valencia Campbell offers tips and advice to minority women and others wondering what it takes to succeed in careers in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds. To gain the insights, Valencia Campbell reviewed research on career success. Then she interviewed fourteen extraordinary minority women, all of whom shared stories about the path to the top of their fields. They include millionaire business owners like Cathy Hughes and Eunice Dudley, nonprofit executive Jane Smith, former White House staffer Zina Pierre, and television anchor Andrea Roane. But this book goes beyond the usual superficial profile of women achievers. Rather, it shares their views on what constitutes success, the factors they consider important to their success, the obstacles they encountered and overcame, and what women can do today to get ahead.

»Advice from the Top will inspire minority women who want to advance their careers. The compelling stories described in this book will, further, help them avoid common pitfalls on the road to success. Better, it outlines the obstacles faced and overcome by successful minority women and provides action steps designed to help readers vault the same hurdles with aplomb. Advice from the Top will also help organizations, educational institutions, and business organizations develop and support career and mentoring programs that promote the success of minority women.



» Praise for Advice from the Top

“You’ve made it possible for many women to benefit from the experience of other women. Because so many of us are so busy just trying to keep our heads above water, we don’t often take the time to share what we know—and what a pity! Sharing is how we women can progress and be in a position to bring other women along. Thank your for caring enough to share this information on so many smart, wonderful, and successful women.”--- Rev. Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. Chair National Congress of Black Women


“By sharing the stories of fifteen successful women of color, Valencia Campbell helps remove myths and mystery from the concept of success, and grounds it squarely in the context of gender, race and class realities. This is a useful examination for all of us.” --- Ellen Bravo, former director, 9to5, National Association of Working Women


“Valencia Campbell has given the nation a very thoughtful examination of the workplaces successes of some of today’s top minority women achievers. Their stories will surely inspire you to set your goals high, as they recount the obstacles they have had to overcome to succeed. I encourage you to consider a diverse set of career choices, like the ones presented here—and I might add, the Congress of the United States. We need you in the House and the Senate too. The sacrifices of such civil rights activists as Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Dr. Dorothy Height, C. Delores Tucker and many women before them demand that you take your seat at the table.” --- Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, Ph.D.


“This book is well grounded in research (theory) and practice with the personal stories of dynamic working women that transverse many careers. There is something in this book for any woman who has an interest in advancing her career.” --- The Honorable Judge Mary Terrell, Retired D.C. Superior Court Judge


“I am sure this book will be informative and beneficial to all who read it, especially young people entering the workforce and beginning their careers.” ---Former Maryland State Delegate Obie Patterson


» Advice from the Top: What Minority Women Say About Their Career Success
by author Valencia Campbell

Order from Amazon by clicking here.
ISBN-10: 0313358583
ISBN-13: 978-0313358586

» Meet the Author
Valencia is a consultant on educational topics and women’s issues Her completed projects include those for the Baltimore Public School System, National Science Foundation, National Congress of Black Women and the National Council of Negro Women. She has taught sociology courses at Howard University and Bowie State University.

Her many awards include: Governor’s Citation for Work on the Improvement of the Status of Women, Woman of the Year for Southern Prince George’s Business and Professional Women, WHUR Hometown Hero Award, 9to5 National Association of Working Women Awards and a Presidential Appointment to the United Service Organization World Board of Governors from 2006-2008. Valencia holds a Ph.D. and M.A. degree in Sociology from Howard University and B.A. in Sociology from Virginia State University. Website: http://www.advicefromtopwomen.com/ ; Email: valenciacampbell2003@yahoo.com

Bookspotlight: Sassy by Gloria Mallette

Join me in welcoming bestselling author Gloria Mallette!  Nationally acclaimed award winning author GLORIA MALLETTE began her true literary journey by self-publishing her second novel Shades of Jade in April of 2000. By July and 13,000 sold copies later, Gloria signed on with Random House who re-released Shades of Jade in 2001. Shades of Jade made several best sellers lists, including Black Board, Essence Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and The Washington Post/Washington is Also Reading listing.

Gloria has been featured in The New York Daily News, USAToday, ToDay’s Black Woman, Upscale Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and The Pocono Record. Gloria also has a featured novella, Come Tomorrow, on the USAToday website.

To her credit, Gloria now has ten published titles including the newly released SASSY, a Finalist in the National Best Books 2009 Awards; Weeping Willows Dance; and Living, Breathing Lies, winner of the National Best Books 2007 Awards and the 2008 Indie Excellence Award.

Intimate Conversation with Gloria hosted by Ella Curry of EDC Creations

Q: Introduce us to your new book SASSY.

GM: Finally SASSY! It took a while but SASSY is now available where ever books are sold. Order your autographed copy from the SASSY page, or order from Amazon.com. If not online, please order through your local bookstore.

Who is Sassy? A successful romance novelist, Sassy Davenport is a woman looking to fulfill her own romantic fantasy. When the man of her dreams steps right out of the pages of her latest novel, Butterfly, Sassy falls madly in love with him. But what evil lies behind Norris Yoshito’s beautiful eyes and sexy smile? Is the man of Sassy’s dream a serial killer of women who made the mistake of trusting him just as Sassy did? When Sassy finds herself caught up in a nightmare of deception and danger, she has to keep her suspicions to herself or fall victim to a heartless killer who sees her death as the ultimate act of revenge

Book Review for Sassy:

"[Sassy] is a fascinating psychological drama...." Harriet Klausner, #1 Amazon Reviewer

Q: Tell us a little about your main characters.

GM: The main characters in SASSY are Sassy Davenport and Norris Yoshito. Sassy is a romance novelist who has yet to find the man of her romantic dreams. That is until Norris Yoshito, an architect of Japanese and African American decent, by chance, attends one of Sassy's book signings and purchases ten copies of her latest novel---which impresses her.

The attraction between Sassy and Norris is immediate. Norris is the embodiment of the leading man in Sassy's novel, but Sassy quickly learns that Norris is a man of great compassion and substance when he helps her take care of her cousin Bernard who is dying of AIDS. However, there appears to be a darker side to Norris that frightens Sassy. Women associated with Norris are being murdered and the police believe Norris is the killer. Not knowing what to believe, Sassy fears that she might have to fight the man she loves in order to save her own life.

Q: Who was your favorite? Why?

GM: While I liked Sassy's strength and tenacity, I fell in love with Norris. I liked that Norris was caring, loving, and strong. Norris didn't shy away from Bernard's illness; nor did he back down from Sassy whenever she tried to get the upper hand; nor did he fear his older brother Clarence who had hated him all of his life. Norris was indeed the man that most women dream about being in love with.

Q: What issue, person or thing inspired you to write this story?

GM: Actually, my character, Norris, inspired me to write this book. Strange as it might seem, I kept dreaming about this Afro-Asian man who marries an African-American woman who faces head on the problems they were up against because of his past. My dreams evolved into SASSY.

Q: What issues in today's society have you addressed in the book?

GM: One of the issues I addressed in SASSY was AIDS and the other mixed race children in Japan who are technically outcasts in a very purist, racist society. Even today, Japanese people as a whole do not condone the mixing or tainting of their blood by foreigners, especially people of African decent. I even learned that bleaching cream is very big in Asia because Japanese people believe the whiter their skin the better. I had to do a lot of research and it was no surprise that women who bore mixed race children were ostracized. Big surprise---not.

Q: What was your primary quest in publishing this book?

GM: My primary quest in publishing SASSY was to do it my way. My previous publisher wanted me to add a lot of sex to my books, but sex is not what I write. If a sex scene is called for, that's fine, but to write sex to drive the story, that's not me. I write what my characters lead me to write, not what I think will sell more books.

Q: What sets your book apart from other books in your genre?

GM: That's just it, publishers have never been able to pigeonhole me. I don't write in a particular genre which is what sets my books apart from other books. I love mystery, suspense, and romance. Combining the three seem to work perfectly for me, which is why readers tell me they can't stop reading until the very last page.

Q: What was the most powerful chapter or scene in the book for you?

GM: There were several powerful scenes in SASSY that touched me. One in particular was when Bernard, who is dying of AIDS, gets to see his seven-year-old son Brice. Bernard had been afraid that he would scare Brice by his emaciated appearance and tried to end all contact with Brice and Brice's mother Evelyn. When Brice was brought to the house, it was Brice who embraced Bernard and said he would take care of him. I actually cried when I wrote this scene.

Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

GM: Interestingly, there is nothing in the content of the SASSY that I would change, it would be the copyeditor who didn't do such a great job.

Q: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.

GM: SASSY placed as a finalist in the National Best Book 2009 Awards. I feel fortunate that it has been acknowledged, just as Living, Breathing Lies was in 2007 and 2008 wherein it won a National Best Book Awards and an Indie Excellence Award. As a self-publisher who has been mainstream published, a little validation goes a long way.

I'd like to extend an invitation to readers to visit my website: www.gloriamallette.com to see the videos for both Sassy and Living, Breathing Lies. Books ordered through my website are personally autographed. Writing remains my passion. I am now hard at work on my next book, Shh! Don’t Tell which will be out in 2011.

Sassy by Gloria A. Mallette
ISBN-10: 0967878934
ISBN-13: 9780967878935

Purchase your copy from Barnes and Noble or by visiting Gloria's website  for a signed copy.

Follow Author Gloria Mallette
Email: gempress@aol.com
Website: http://www.gloriamallette.com/
Blog: http://blog.myspace.com/gloriamallette

National Best Book 2009 Awards Finalist -- Sassy
National Indie Excellence 2008 Award Winner -- Living, Breathing Lies
National Best Book 2007 Awards Winner AA Fiction -- Living, Breathing Lies
MosaicBooks.com 2007 Bestseller -- Living, Breathing Lies

Look at me by Linda R. Herman

Look at me, take a long, hard stare.
I'm the face of HIV. I represent every woman 25-34 who has died or is dying from AIDS.
AIDS is the leading cause of death in African American women in this age group.
So, LOOK at me!

Do you think I'm ready to die? I'm not ready. I don't want to leave my children, family, and friends. LOOK at me!

Can you honestly tell me we can't change the statistics by raising awareness? Can we not see the Consequences of our actions? Oh God, is anybody even listening to me? LOOK at me!

Now, take a long hard look at yourself and answer this question:
What am I going to do today to raise awareness of HIV & AIDS?

To learn more about Linda R. Herman and her passion for saving lives by raising awareness, please visit www.LindaRHerman.org.

Intimate Conversation with author Nikkea Smithers

Nikkea Smithers is a spoken word artists and Essence Magazine Best Selling Author She has performed on stages in front of thousands. Her literary work often speaks to issues in the community that are often under-discussed. Her readers have fallen in love with her ‘tell it like it is’ approach to writing making her readers lifelong fans.

Intimate Conversation with Ella Curry, CEO of EDC Creations


Ella: Hello Nikkea! Introduce us to your book, On The Flip Side.
Nikkea: On The Flip Side deals with a situation that many men face but little light is shed on. We often hear the story about the single mother doing it for her kids on a daily basis. While I would never want to take anything away from them, what we don't often hear about is the single father who is standing up to his responsibilities and being burdened with social issues beyond his realm of control. What if the mother is not the one holding it down? What if the father has the kids but the mother has the greed? On The Flip Side deals with a different kind of baby momma drama and show that real men are fathers and not just baby daddies.

Ella: Tell us a little about your main characters. Who was your favorite?
Nikkea: Tavares was on the path to be a very successful young man. A one night stand turns his life up side down and he finds himself in a position where he has to be accountable. As he struggles to be a respectable father the mother of his children does everything in her power to break him down. The twist to this tale is he just isn't just a single father, he is also paying child support as if his kids don't live with him and in two different states.

Danica is a very interesting woman with a serious God complex. She truly believes that she is better than everyone around her. Not only does her complex cause her to throw stereotypes around like they are going out of style but it causes her to play the role of karma. The problem with playing karma is that it's bound to come back on you if you aren't living right.

My favorite is Tavares because he is the epitome of real man. He immediately steps up to the plate and makes things happen. As you read the book you genuinely feel for him. His kids come first, plain and simple. Who doesn't love a man like that?



Ella: Are your characters from the portrayal of real people? What inspired you to write this story?
Nikkea: The characters aren't based on real people but are influenced by conversations. I love talking to people and my husband and I often throw these parties where there are debates on different topics. Of course one of the most popular topics of debate is child support. The men thought they paid too much. The women thought it wasn't enough. One man talked about how he was paying support in both NY and VA. He talked about how neither state would take into consideration the order in the other state. This blew my mind!

My mother was even present and shared her views on the subject which opened my eyes even more. I see story lines in the strangest of things so I thought, what if was the other way around? What if the man had his kids and was still paying child support? So I wrote the poem On The Flip Side and was surprised at the response it got from men that were going through this very thing. Then a friend of mine and I were talking after she saw me perform the poem and was telling me about a friend of hers going through this only his child's mother left the kids at the hospital after birth! I immediately thought oh this needs to be a book! I then took the poem and turned it into this book.

Ella: What issues in society have you addressed in the book?
Nikkea: Child support is the obvious issue addressed in the book but there are several subliminal messages. I love dealing with subliminal messages and try my best to place a few in every novel I write. One issue is accountability. Society is really hard on women in regards to promiscuity but men don't always get the same scrutiny. I want to show young men that they have to be responsible for their actions as well. That one night of passion could mean kids with a woman you don't know or worse, a death sentance of H.I.V. Another issue that is addressed is karma. We really need to understand that what we throw out into the universe will come back to us pressed down, shaken together and running over.

Ella: What was your primary quest in publishing this book?
Nikkea: I love to break down barriers and talk about things that no one is talking about. At least not in this sense. I wanted the roles to be reversed and stretch my imagination. Especially with Danica's character, I had to dig deep for her because she is so far from me and what I would naturally do. I wanted this book to be true to the characters and show them for who they are regardless of the outcome. I love being able to uplift my brothers and say kudos to those doing the right things. Through Tavares I get to connect with readers and share with them the story of a good man.

Ella: Thousands of books are published each year. What sets your book apart from other books in your genre?
Nikkea: It's all about the message. My work is educational but entertaining. I want to enlighten people. I want them to finish one of my books thinking about the subject matter and want to take action. How can we change things if we don't start by talking about them? I actively strive to write away from whats popular and get to the bottom of social issues that need to be addressed.

Ella: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Nikkea: When I'm not writing I love to read! I'm the biggest book worm. My husband and I joke that our house looks like the Library of Congress. I don't discriminate. I have poetry from Langston Hughes to Nikki Giovanni. I have nonfiction from George Jackson to Steve Harvey. I have fiction from John Gresham to E. Lynn Harris. With me being a self published author I am also a huge supporter of self published authors because I understand their grind. I also enjoy culture. I love museums, art viewings, jazz clubs, and poetry readings. I love the movies too!

Ella: What does your family think of your writing?
Nikkea: My family is very supportive. My husband has a prized collection of all of my books in his 'man room' that he shows off to all his friends. He gets the first copy in every edition of all of my works. When he sees something has discouraged me he tells me to shake it off and keep doing what I do. My mother buys my books in bulk like she doesn't know me! They are my two biggest supporters. I appreciate being surrounded by positivity and they keep me inspired to keep on writing.

Ella: What is the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Nikkea: Do your research, stay positive and value the message over all else.

Ella: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases. Nikkea: I was excited to find out that two of my books (Keith's Story and Attitudes of a Woman) were awarded with the Literary Hallmark & Legends Top Books 2009 award by Black Pearls Magazine. That honor was one of the highlights of my year!

Within the next year I have three more books that will be released. I also look forward to touring and performing. I want to dedicate my time in the new year connecting with my readers. Book clubs who select my book as their book of the month can reach out to me so that I can make plans to either be present or available for a teleconfrence.

Email: info@nikkeasmithers.com Website: http://www.nikkeasmithers.com/

Purchase the book at: Amazon Online

Purchase the book at: Barnes & Noble Online

A Woman Scorned by Ericka Williams

Meet our featured author Ericka Williams

Ericka Williams is a determined business woman and author. She never takes no for an answer. When she sets her mind on a goal, she doesn't stop until it is reached. She is a graduate of Teaneck High School, in Teaneck New Jersey. She attended Howard University and graduated from Rutgers University. She is currently a teacher. Ericka has always had a yearning for knowledge, expression, and creativity. She is the author of three books the Essence Magazine bestseller “All That Glitters”, and the sequel “Shining Star”, as well as the forthcoming release A Woman Scorned.

Ella: Ericka, introduce us to your book, A Woman Scorned.
Ericka: A Woman Scorned is about pain. It is about death. It is about love and revenge. When someone you love hurts you, your pain often times turns to anger and feelings of betrayal. That rage can turn into violence. Crimes of passion are real and have happened since the beginning of time. A Woman Scorned shows what happens when a woman's broken heart turns her into a predator. It makes her hate instead of love.

I feel most readers will relate to this book, A Woman Scorned, because it’s about redemption and consequences. It points out how we can not use excuses for our wrongdoings nor dodge retribution. We all have irrationally thoughts from time to time, but we can turn ourselves around. It brings attention to the fact that self-love is necessary and essential to our sanity. It also brings home the truth—you must pay for your actions one way or another. The primary thing I hope all readers will take away from reading A Woman Scorned is that loving YOU, even when no one else does, is crucial in living the best life.

Q: Tell us a little about your main characters. Who was your favorite? Why?
Ericka: Brielle was the main character. She was my favorite because she wanted to be a better person. She had aspirations for her life. She didn’t relish in being destructive the way her cousin Janay did.

Brielle had been molested, abused, and mistreated from a child. She yearns for the love she never felt from anyone. She never found love in the right places, until Dante rescued her and married her. She thought she was safe in his love, until two miscarriages and one affair too many, made her snap. The faith that she puts into her husband, is the very faith she should have found in herself. When he disappoints her, she wants nothing but to see him in pain.

Brielle not only exacts revenge on her husband for his grimy living, but she gets to “do it for the Ladies” as well, by making a few more men accountable for their actions. Until she meets Darren and Shawn; both men are falling for her. Brielle cannot see beyond her past to give them an honest chance at loving her sincerely. One prevails as the victor, while the other is another victim of A Woman Scorned.

While Brielle is unleashing her “fury” on men, there are two women, her cousin Janay, and her husband’s pregnant lover, who may be the ones to bring her down and stop her reign of terror on the opposite sex.
(ISBN-10: 1934230715 or ISBN-13:9781934239718)

Q: Are your characters from the portrayal of real people?
Ericka: Yes, real people who react to life’s drama in a negative way. We have all made bad choices in responding to wrongs we feel have been inflicted upon us. This book takes a poignant look at the repercussions of letting one’s rage get out of control.

Q: What issues in today's society have you addressed in the book?
Ericka: Infidelity, Domestic Violence, Molestation, Murder, and Revenge.

Q. What impact will this book have on the community?
Ericka: It deals with an emotion that many understand, revenge, giving the community a glimpse inside the mind and heart of a damaged individual; showing how revenge is not profitable.

I want people who read this book to accept that they are not a product of their circumstances and that anyone can change. Also, that your past does not have to dictate your future.

Q: What was the most powerful chapter or scene in the book for you?
Ericka: One powerful scene is a scene where Brielle meets with her father on his death bed after five years of no contact with him.

Q: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.
Ericka: My next book will be The Clique in 2010.

Q: Ericka, how many readers contact you online?
Ericka: At my email address: erickawilliamsinfo@yahoo.com  or by visiting my website at: http://www.erickaw.com/


A Woman Scorned by Ericka Williams
ISBN-10: 1934230715
Visit http://www.lifechangingbooks.net/  to pre-order today!

Pick up a copy at Amazon Online here.
http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Scorned-Ericka-Williams/dp/1934230715

Even Sinners Have Souls Too

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Color Me Jazzmyne by Marian L. Thomas

Author Interview: Color Me Jazzmyne by Marian L. Thomas

I would like to introduce you to a fantastic new book, Color Me Jazzmyne. Readers of Color Me Jazzmyne have been captivated by the depth of the emotional journey that the book takes them on. It digs deep into what it takes for women to embrace who they are no matter what size, color, educational background or social status. Sisters will learn to love themselves despite what society says or the voices that surround them!

Marian L. Thomas is native of Chicago but currently resides in Atlanta.She first awakened her desire to write while in her second year of high school. She majored in Journalism but received her Bachelor of Art degree in Business Communication, graduating Magna Cum Laude. 2009 the dream of becoming a published author was realized when she was able to debut her first title Color Me Jazzmyne. She is a wife and supporter of victims of abuse and was recently featured in the Atlanta Skirt! Magazine as one of Atlanta's 9to5 Women in the Media Industry.


Motivation Behind Color Me Jazzmyne
Color Me Jazzmyne addresses a major issue in our society today..."Rape is often the "hush" word in our lives. It's the thing that we prefer to put into the closet of other skeltons that we pray no one has the key to.

Child abuse often occurs at a young age and more than often it is done by someone that is very close---a family member or friend of the family. It's a difficult thing to get over, it's even more difficult to explain.

According to one statistic.... one out of every six women will be raped over their lifetime and 73% of all rape victims know their assailants. In fact, studies have shown that 60% of all sexual assaults are not reported. I hope that women who read this book and have gone through something similar will find the courage to reach out and talk to someone about it."


Color Me Jazzmyne Book Excerpt
Read Chapters 1-3 and give us your opinion.
http://www.freado.com/book/4169/Color-Me-Jazzmyne



Intimate Conversation with author Marian L. Thomas

What impact do you want your book, Color Me Jazzmyne, to make on readers?
Marian: "I hope that women who read this book and have lived the life of Naya Mona in some form or fashion will find the voice, strength and motivation to push past the pain and live."


Why do you write? Is is healing or to create awareness in our community?
Marian:  Both! For me, writing is more of a release from the reflection of the world around us. It is a way to express the obvious using tones that soothe,excite, uplift and allow the reader to step out of their comfort level. That is my goal when writing. That is what drives me to create characters such as Naya Mona.


Are your characters, in Color Me Jazzmyne, a portrayal of real people?
Marian: Reality is always a part of us and as such what we read must adhere to some form of it in order to make it so that one can relate to the story that is being told. Naya is clearly a reflection of the many women that I have met over the years and the struggles that they have gone through. I do not remove myself from that reflection. Misty represents all the so-called friends that revolve in and out of our lives and Chris is what I term the 'life-time' type of husband. He represents the compassion and love that we as women need, want and deserve.

Contact Marian Online
Email: larrita@lbpublishingco.com
Website: http://www.marianlthomas.com/
Author's Blog: http://findingmycolorwithmlt.blogspot.com/

Pickup Your Copy Today!
ISBN-10: 0615270670; ISBN-13: 978-0615270678

Amazon .com
Kindle Download
Barnes & Noble.com

Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young

I would like to share a preview of Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young. If you like mystery novels or legal thrillers, you are sure to love this new release!

“Pamela Samuels Young takes her place among the top tier of legal thriller writers with her latest, Buying Time.” —Sheldon Siegel, Bestselling Author




Book Introduction

Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer. But just when he's about to hit rock bottom, he stumbles upon a business with the potential to solve all of his problems.

In Waverly's new line of work, he comes to the aid of people in desperate need of cash. But there's a catch. His clients must be terminally ill and willing to sign over rights to their life insurance policies before they can collect a dime. Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars—including a hefty broker's fee for himself—in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath.

The stakes get higher when Waverly brokers the policy of the cancer-stricken wife of Lawrence Erickson, a high-powered lawyer who's bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General. When Waverly's clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and Erickson—who has some skeletons of his own to hide—are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.


****************

Prologue of Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young

Veronika Myers tried to convince them, but no one would listen. Her suspicions, they said, were simply a byproduct of her grief.

Each time she broached the subject with her brother, Jason, he walked out of the room. Darlene, her best friend, suggested a girls’ night out with some heavy drinking. Aunt Flo urged her to spend more time in prayer.

Veronika knew she was wasting her time with this woman, too, but couldn’t help herself.

“My mother was murdered,” Veronika told the funeral home attendant. “But nobody believes it.”

The plump redhead with too much eye shadow glanced down at the papers on her desk, then looked up. “It says here that your mother died in the hospital. From brain cancer.”

“That’s not true,” Veronika snapped, her response a little too sharp and a tad too loud.

Yes, her mother had brain cancer, but she wasn’t on her deathbed. Not yet. They had just spent a long afternoon together, laughing and talking and watching All My Children. Veronika could not, and would not accept that the most important person in her life had suddenly died. She knew what everyone else refused to believe. Her mother had been murdered.

“Did they conduct an autopsy?” the woman asked.

Veronika sighed and looked away. There had been no autopsy because everyone dismissed her as a grief-stricken lunatic. When she reported the murder to the police, a disinterested cop dutifully took her statement, but she could tell that nothing would come of it. Without any solid evidence, she was wasting everyone’s time, including her own.

“No,” Veronika said. “There wasn’t an autopsy.”

The funeral home attendant smiled sympathetically.

Veronika let out a long, exasperated breath, overwhelmed by the futility of what she was trying to prove. “Never mind,” she said. “What else do you need me to sign?”


Later that night, Veronika lay in bed, drained from another marathon crying session. She rummaged through the nightstand, retrieved a bottle of sleeping pills and popped two into her mouth. She tried to swallow them dry, but her throat was too sore from all the crying.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. “Don’t worry, Mama,” Veronika sniffed. “I won’t let them get away with it.”

Just as she reached the end of the hallway, a heavy gloved hand clamped down hard across her mouth as her arms were pinned behind her back. Panic instantly hurled her into action. Veronika tried to scream, but the big hand reduced her shriek to a mere muffle. She frantically kicked and wrestled and twisted her body, but her attacker’s grip would not yield.

When she felt her body being lifted off the ground and carried back down the hallway, she realized there were two of them and her terror level intensified. But so did her survival instinct. She continued to wildly swing her legs backward and forward, up and down, right and left, eventually striking what felt like a leg, then a stomach.

As they crossed the threshold of her bedroom, she heard a loud, painful moan that told her she had likely connected with the groin of one of her assailants.

“Cut it out!” said a husky, male voice. “Grab her legs!” he ordered his partner. “Hurry up!”

The men dumped her face down onto the bed, her arms still restrained behind her back. The big hand slipped from her mouth and Veronika’s first cry escaped, but was quickly muted when a much heavier hand gripped the back of her neck and pressed her face into the comforter.

Fearing her attackers were going to rape, then kill her, Veronika defiantly arched her back and tried to roll her body into a tight ball. At only 130 pounds, she was no physical match for her assailants. They easily overpowered her, forcing her back into a prone position. As one man sat on her upper legs, strapping her left arm to her side, the other man bent her right arm at the elbow and guided her hand up toward her forehead.

During the deepest period of her grief, Veronika had longed to join her mother. But now that she was face-to-face with the possibility of death, she fought valiantly for life.

That changed, however, the second Veronika felt something cold and hard connect with her right temple. She stiffened as one of the men grabbed her fingers and wrapped them around the butt of a gun. At that precise instant, Veronika knew with certainty that her suspicions were indeed fact. Her mother had been murdered and now the same killers had come to silence her before she could expose the truth. And just like her mother’s death, her own murder would go undetected, dismissed as the suicide of a grieving daughter. A conclusion no one would question.

As the man placed his hand on top of hers and prepared to pull the trigger, a miraculous, power-infused sensation snuffed out what was left of Veronika’s fear, causing her body to go limp. The heavy pounding of her heart slowed and she felt light enough to float away.

Completely relaxed now, Veronika closed her eyes, said a short prayer, and waited for a glorious reunion with her mother.

###

Bookclubs, select one of Pamela’s novels for your book club meeting and she will join you in person, via webcam or via speaker phone. Read more book excerpts here: http://www.pamelasamuels-young.com/books/index.html

To schedule a visit with Pamela, email her at  author@pamelasamuelsyoung.com

Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young
ISBN-10: 098156271X | ISBN-13: 978-0981562711

Pick up a Copy Today at Amazon
http://tinyurl.com/buyingtimeamazon

Pick up a Copy Today at Barnes and Noble
http://tinyurl.com/buyingtimebnonline


Meet the Author
Pamela Samuels Young is the Essence bestselling author of Murder on the Down Low, In Firm Pursuit, Every Reasonable Doubt and the newly released Buying Time. The former journalist and Compton native is the fiction writing expert for BizyMoms.com and is on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.Pamela served as legal consultant to the Showtime television series Soul Food. She is a frequent speaker on the topics of writing and self-empowerment. View her books here: http://www.pamelasamuels-young.com

One Night with You by Francis Ray

Enter Contest Here

National bestselling author Francis Ray is a native Texan and graduate of Texas Woman's University where she was twice nominated for the Distinguished Alumni Award.

INCOGNITO, her 6th novel, was the first made-for-TV movie from BET. With the release of THE TURNING POINT, her first mainstream, she established The Turning Point Legal Fund to assist women of domestic violence. The fund is administered by The Family Place, a woman's shelter in Dallas.

Her writing awards include the EMMA, Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, Atlantic Choice, Golden Pen as well as several awards from libraries and book clubs.

NOT EVEN IF YOU BEGGED, her 37th title, is the fourth book in the popular Invincible Women Series was released January 24, 2008 and made Border's and WalMart bestselling list. September 2008 saw the release of THE WAY YOU LOVE ME, Book One in her new Grayson Friends Series. In November UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, Book One, in the Graysons of New Mexico Series was reissued.

2009 promises to be a busy year for Ms. Ray. NOBODY BUT YOU, Book Two, in the Grayson Friends Series was released March 03, 2009 and went on make both the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists.. Her 40th book, AND MISTRESS MAKES THREE, Book Five in the Invincible Women Series, hit book shelves June 23, 2009. Closing out the year is ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, Book Three of the Grayson Friends Series.

Latest Release: One Night with You
November 03, 2009
Series: Grayson Friends Series
ISBN-13: 9780312365066
ISBN-10: 0312365063

Contest:  Read the excerpt at the end of interview. Leave  your email address and the names of the characters, from the excerpt, in the comments section below. A random drawing will be held on Nov. 27, 2009 and select 5 winners of a copy of One Night with You!  Shelfari, Facebook, MySpace, BlackPlanet and Black Pearls readers are all welcome to participate. All the comments will be combined and the winners selected. You may email us for a list of winners as well: edc_dg@yahoo.com

Intimate Conversation with author Francis Ray and Ella Curry, EDC Creations


Ella:  Tell us about your passion for writing.
Francis Ray: Although writing is a challenge, I'm almost compelled to. It's wonderful being able to tell a story of love and triumph where the good guys wins and the bad guys get theirs. I began writing many years ago because I didn't see people of color as main characters in literature. I wanted to change this. I had a wonderful father, a loving family, a great husband, but I didn't see "us" on the pages of books I was reading. I wanted to show the world that black people have honor, integrity, intelligence, and love in abundance.

After 40 plus books, I receive mail from all over the world. In reading my books people come to know and understand what motivates people of color and learn that we're no different that any one else. We love and want the best for our family and children.


Ella:  A Legacy is something that is handed down from one period of time to another period of time. Finish this sentence-
Francis Ray:  My writing offers the legacy to future readers to learn that, as a race, African-American have contributed much to society, and continue to do so. In my book they'll find strong family values and men who stand up for women, their family and their country.


Ella:  Introduce us to your book One Night with You.
Francis Ray: ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, is Book # 3 in the Grayson Friends Series. Duncan McBride is a successful Montana rancher, who, after a disastrous marriage, stopped believing that there was a woman out there who could love him and his sprawling ranch past the first, hard winter with six feet of snow. When Raven LaBlanc, a stunning archaeologist, shows up at his ranch to authenticate primitive cave drawings on his property, Duncan wants her gone. He doesn't want to feel the attraction to a woman he knows has no intention of staying. As for Raven, her main reason in going to Duncan's ranch was coming one step closer to tenure at St. Johns' College in Santa Fe. She wants permanence in life. Her attraction to Duncan, a hard, but good man, is totally unexpected and unwanted.

Each has to learn to trust their heart and accept that there are honorable men and women in the world. It won't be easy, because both have been betrayed in the worst possible way. But as Duncan and Raven are thrown together more and more on the working ranch, they see the good in the other, and the faith that they had lost in the opposite sex begins to be rebuilt. But an unseen force is determined to keep them apart. Their fragile love will be tested to the limits.


Ella:  Introduce us to your message and the main characters.
Francis Ray: I hope you'll enjoy ONE NIGHT WITH YOU. Duncan and Raven, two people who didn't expect love. They would like for you to know that, like them, love sometimes happens when you lease expect it. Always keep your heart open.

Ella:  What issues in today's society have you addressed in the book?
Francis Ray: In Montana, as in many states, there are fewer and fewer ranches. The land is being sold off to developers, the young people leaving for the city. In ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, Duncan is exactly where he wants to be. He resists selling one inch to a developer. The land is his legacy that he intends to leave to his niece or nephew since he never plans to marry. He is aware that his life is hard, the land unforgiving, that predators roam the land, but he relishes and looks forward each day to living in a country blessed by God.


Ella: How difficult was it to complete the novel?
Francis Ray: The book was very difficult to write, but it was also a pleasure. I had to do extensive research on ranching in Montana, the livestock, the land and predators. There was even the birth of a colt. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of writing the book was the authenticating of the primitive drawings on Duncan's ranch. I have a notebook of symbols, what they mean, how they were drawn and by whom. The Ancient Ones followed the water and mountain rims for food and game. They left behind an indelible print of their lives centuries before.

Series: Grayson Friends Series
ISBN-13: 9780312365066
ISBN-10: 0312365063
Pick up a copy at Amazon
Pick up a copy at Barnes and Noble


Connect with Francis Ray Online

Website: http://www.francisray.com/  
Blogspot: http://www.francisrayblog.com/
Myspace: www.myspace.com/francisray
Fanclub: readersoffrancisray@yahoogroups.com


One Night with You by Francis Ray
Read the First Chapter Excerpt-List the Characters in the Comments Below.
New York Times bestselling author Francis Ray continues her captivating series about the Grayson family and their circle of friends with One Night With You, as two people with no plans for romance find themselves blindsided by desire…


THE THRILL OF THE CHASE
Cougars, brush fires, snow storms—rancher Duncan McBride tackles it all without a flinch. But the archeologist who’s come to authenticate cave drawings found on his property is the kind of trouble he’d sworn to avoid. Far from the aging academic he was expecting, Raven La Blanc is a stunning woman…and definitely not sticking around this small Montana town once her job is done.

THE PASSION OF A LIFETIME…
The primitive drawings at Duncan’s ranch are Raven’s ticket to the tenured position she’s worked so hard for back in Santa Fe. But there’s no denying the attraction between her and Duncan. Maybe, just this once, she can put her work aside and explore the depths of her own heart and soul? One night may be all it takes for Raven to really find what she’s looking for…


One Night with You by Francis Ray if you don't see the widget, click the link. 

FB, Link to read full screen: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=13513498

All The Way by Kimberley White-New Release

All The Way by Kimberley White-New Release

Introducing Award Winning Author… Kimberley White

Award-winning author Kimberley White resides in metropolitan Detroit. She’s a nurse practitioner currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice. She uses her twenty years of nursing experience to address topics such as domestic violence, hypertension and sexual harassment in an entertaining and informative manner. Ms. White speaks at writing conferences and has taught writing courses at several Michigan colleges.

Kimberley White resides in metropolitan Detroit where she is a nurse practitioner during the day and a writer of steamy romances at night. Visit her website at http://www.kwhitewrite.com/   Email: kwhite_writer@hotmail.com



Ms. White’s novels and awards include:
:: Sweet Tomorrows (Genesis Press, April 2001)
:: Dream Jobs To Go: Romance Writing (Intellectua ebooks, June 2001)
:: Lujon 1 (Best Black Women’s Erotica, Volume II. Cleis, February 2003)
:: Acquisitions (Genesis Press, May 2003)
:: Only In My Dreams (BET/Arabesque, May 2003)—Nominee, Best Romance of the Year
:: Tango (BET/Arabesque, November 2003)
:: Hard to Love (June 2004)
:: Forever After (BET/Arabesque, July 2004)—Winner, Steamiest Romance Book
:: Conquering Dr. Wexler’s Heart (Genesis Press, NOV 2004)
:: To Love A Ballantyne (BET/Arabesque, 2005)
:: Sweet Repercussions (BET/Arabesque, 2005)
:: You Never Know (BET/Kimani Press, 2006)
:: Ballantyne’s Destiny (BET/Kimani Press, 2006)
:: All the Way (Dafina, 2008)
:: I Need More (Dafina, 2009)


Community Discussion Questions
Please read Kimberley White's book excerpts and answer the following questions in this forum. Two commentors will be randomly selected to obtain a review copy of Kimberley White latest book. Leave your email addresses with comments here  to enter drawing. All winners will be announced on the Black Pearls Magazine at Facebook on November 27, 2009, during Black Books Weekends with Ella.

1. Why are we willing to sacrifice what’s truly important in life—love, family, health & safety—for fame and money?

2. Role reversal: are men now marrying for money?

3. Are African-American men really portrayed badly in the literature?

4. Are female characters relatable? (Physically? Use of foul language and slang?)

5. Why would an author lose their voice in their own books?



Introduction to I Need More by Kimberley White
Preview Chapters from the book here.

She Has Everything She Wants. . .
Dr. Erika Johnson's life couldn't get any better. Her practice is flourishing and her hunk of a husband Brock can't keep his hands off her--until the day he suddenly leaves her without a word of explanation. Stunned, Erika has no choice but to cobble together a new life on her own. When she serves Brock with divorce papers, Erika is certain he'll sign them so they can both move on. But that's when the surprises really begin. . .

Except The Man She Loves...
Brock is sure he did the right thing. All he ever wanted was to bring joy into Erika's life, not pain and sorrow. But when rumors reach him that Erika is seeing another man, he's torn between what he thinks is right and what he feels is right. Despite everything, there's no denying the fierce attraction she and Brock have always shared is burning hotter than ever. And when Erika finally learns Brock's secret, they must decide if they will face the uncertain future together-or apart. . .   ISBN-13: 9780758222107; ISBN 10: 0758222106   Buy the book, I Need More by Kimberley White, today!



Introduction to All The Way by Kimberley White
Read preview chapters here.
Romantic Suspense

As manager of the hot nightclub Skye, Payton Vaughn thinks she’s seen it all…until the night she witnesses a cold blooded murder. The police can’t protect her from a psychopathetic killer with sexually sadistic fantasies of how to keep her quiet, so she runs…All the Way…Into the arms of Adriano Norwood, a man who’s happy to see the story of his career wrapped in the perfectly angelic body of a woman he’ll soon want to protect with his own life. He’d sacrifice his happiness and let her go before he’ll put her in danger again…Unless they find a way to have it all.  ISBN-10: 0758222106; ISBN-13: 978-0758222107   Buy the book, All The Way by Kimberley White, today!

ALL THE WAY Book Reviews
Romance In Color
Urban Reviews

Chapter 1- Carbon Copy by Azarel

Read Excerpt of Chapter 1 Carbon Copy by Azarel

Book Tour: In The Land of Cotton

In The Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor
Have you ever wondered what were the children doing during the Civil Rights movement in the 50s and 60s? What were the people who weren't actively protesting or participating in racism doing? Author Martha A. Taylor recently published a book that answers these questions!

Martha tells her childhood story, in her book In The Land of Cotton, as a young white girl who has a memorable relationship with a spirit filled black family. Martha meets a very poor family, the Boyds, and her life changes as she falls in love with one of the young members of the Boyd family, Silas. The Boyd family is trapped in time; Martha comes from a middle-class white family who is not actively taking part in harassing black people. The story is spectacular and filled with historical revelations. For more details, read the material below to fully grasp the importance and relevance of this book, at this time. If you liked the movie and book, The Secret Life of Bees, you will truly love this new book!

Author Martha A. Taylor has published her first book! Let's give her a hand for stepping up to the plate and telling her story. She's one brave woman to have done all the things she reveals in her new book!

Intro:  In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor

SLAVERY IS MORE THAN CHAINS AND SHACKLES
SLAVERY IS A STATE OF MIND

Immerse yourself in this highly anticipated political docu-drama set in the Deep South amidst the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement.

Martha was a young white girl living in the Deep South, inundated with the racist sentiments of the times. But Martha's natural curiosity and generous heart led her to question this racial divide. When she discovered a poor Negro family, the Boyds, living deep in the woods near her house, everyone's life changed forever. She meets Silas, a little black boy and falls in love. The Boyd family "adopts" her as one of their own and the saga begins....

Take the journey of a lifetime alongside Martha as she forges relationships that lead to self discovery and a clearer understanding of the world around her. In the Land of Cotton provides an outstanding snapshot of life in the South during those troubled times - a snapshot everyone should take a close look at, regardless of era or color. The year was 1956.  (Book info: ISBN-10: 1432734717; ISBN-13: 978-1432734718)

Interview: In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor
http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com/2009/04/intimate-conversation-with-author.html

EDC Creations Sunday News Email Newsletters
18,000 Members: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?html=352823
2,654 Members: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?html=301498

Shop EDC Creations Bookstores
http://astore.amazon.com/edcmagazine-20  
http://astore.amazon.com/sanklitesoci-20

Buy the book today  from Barnes and Noble

Buy the book today from Amazon Online


Join the In the Land of Cotton Book Tour

WEEK 1

Martha A. Taylor's Media Center

EDC Creations Media Group front page slideshow

EDC Virtual Tours Main Site

EDC Virtual Tours at MSN

Black Authors Network Radio


EDC Creations at MySpace

Black Pearls Magazine Home Page

Authors on Tour in Reading Room

African Americans on the Move Bookclubs

Guest Blogger with ASA - Authors Supporting Authors

Guest Blogger with Author Arlinda McGlothin

Barnes & Noble Book Clubs

Guest Blogger with Ty Moody Network

http://aakulturezone.com/
http://writtenvoicesblog.com/
http://writtenvoicespodcast.com/

AAMBC Showcase Radio Show
Host: Tamika Newhouse
Radio Show Website: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/AAMBC

Urban Literary Review Radio Show
Host: Martin Pratt
Website: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/urbanliteraryreview

Rachel Berry AKA Lady Serenity
Host: Rachel Berry
Website: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Lady-Serenity

Black Authors Network Talk Show
Host: Ella Curry
Website: www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network




WEEK 2

iZania Black Networking Community

Black Authors Network Blog

Authors on Tour in Reading Room


Sankofa Literary Review

Short Books Showcase


EDC Book Tours

Black History 365 Authors

SLS Bookclub Center

EDC Creations Twitter

SLS Paradigm Shift

EDC Creations at Library Thing


African/African American Literature

Romance - from historical to contemporary


Books By Us



WEEK 3


Black Authors Network at LinkedIn

Cover to Cover at LinkedIn

Authors of Fiction at LinkedIn

Goodreads at LinkedIn

Oprah's Book Club

ESSENCE Community


The Tyra Banks Show


Lipstick Alley


Sankofa Literary Society Bookclub at Vox

The Inklings at Vox

The Beautiful People at Vox

Verbal Penetrations at Vox

African American by Association


Monthly Book Club at Vox

Girl Talk at Vox

Mahogany Book Club at Vox


Moms Who Shop at Vox



WEEK 4
EDC at Black Planet

Black Planet AA Authors

Black Planet Book Club

I LOVE BOOKS - Book Club


BOOK LOVERS at Black Planet


BOOKS LOVER2 at Black Planet


BlackPlanet Book of the Month

Black Authors Network LinkedIn

Reader's Entertainment LinkedIn


EDC Creations at CafeMom.com

Mature African American Moms


African American Books Swapping


Authors' Den


African American Mommies



WEEK 5

Book Chat at Shelfari

SLS Book Club at Shelfari

African American Books

SistahFriend Book Club


Readers Of African-American Authors

African American Literature at Shelfari

B-more Readers with W.I.S.D.O.M

Books that work well for Reading Groups/Book Clubs

DIVAS OF LITERATURE

SORMAG BOOKS

Coast 2 Coast Readers

United Black Writers



WEEK 6

African American Literature at Yahoo

African American Literature Club

Black Book Lovers - A Club for Connoisseurs of Black Literature

The Black Bookshelf Book Club

African American Book Club & More

Ebony Authors & Readers

My Sistah's Keeper

PASSION 4READING


African-American Literary Network

Speak Sister at MySpace

Book Lovers Bookclub MySpace

Black Romance/Urban Bookclub

African American Intellectuals

African American Fiction at Myspace

Myspace Book Club

The People's Lounge



WEEK 7

TCP Color Page

Book Marketing Network

Black Authors On Fire

Nia Promotions Community

EDC Black Authors Network at FB

African Americans on the Move Book Club

The Writers & Readers Lounge

Reading is Sexy

Passion for Books at FB

Genre Book Club at FB

Girls Gone God!

Urban Reviews Facebook Group

UrbanWritten Coalition at FB

African American Authors

FB Bookclub


African American Relationships at FB

Black Author Showcase at FB

African American Authors (Book Club)

Young, Black, and Gifted Journalists!

Mothers of Wisdom



WEEK 8

MyBrothersKeeper.com

Crucial Diva

We Are One

Each-One-Teach-One

AfricanAmericans.NET


Chocolate Pages Network


Black Internet Marketers


Black In America.com

Black History.com

Black Authors Connect 


Black Authors Network Connect.com

BlackWomenConnect.com


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Praise for In the Land of Cotton by Martha A. Taylor

Racism from the perspective of an innocent white girl who learns firsthand how absurd it is.
Book Review by cashbacher@yahoo.com (TOP 50 REVIEWER, Amazon)

The innocence of youth is a beautiful thing, it is refreshing to witness and gives the world so much, except when it is a young white girl being exposed to a poor black family in the southern United States in the 1950's. In that context, it could have meant the death of some of the participants.

Martha was a young white girl who bonded with her black maid when her parents were generally absent. Her natural curiosity and openness led her to an enclave of an extended black family living in primitive conditions. Martha was quickly "adopted" by the family, as they allowed her to be a part of their activities and she responded in kind. Martha's parents were racist and she maintained her relationship with the black group in secret for many years and even over great distances.

Martha also fell in love with Silas, first a playmate from the black family, then a companion and eventually a fiance. Silas was extremely intelligent and handsome and when he was old enough, he went off to school in Chicago and then joined the military, becoming a helicopter pilot flying rescue missions in Vietnam. Silas is seriously injured and Martha rushes to his bedside to take care of him.

One simple, yet significant scene is when a white soldier in the hospital wing with Silas objects to the black-white relationship. Another white soldier immediately responds, telling the white soldier, "That man saved my life, he can have whatever girlfriend he wants." The history of the civil rights movement, from the Rosa Parks refusal through the assassination of Martin Luther King is chronicled and placed in context.

Therefore, the story has two significant and complex tracks. The story of two people who grow to love each other within the bounds of a truly extended "family" and the broader context of the segregation of the south and how it was finally and thankfully forever broken. Given that the names of the title character and the author are identical, it seems clear that the book is an autobiography, which increases the power of the depiction of the events.

ISBN: 1432734717
ISBN-13: 9781432734718
Format: Paperback, 270pp
Buy the Book: Amazon