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The unpredictable Shelly Winston is back with a vengeance. When she finds out the man she’s always wanted for herself is about to get married, she decides to do what she should have done nearly two years before—get him back! She’s determined to put a stop to his upcoming wedding. After all, Brian Turner belonged to her first. And as far as she is concerned, she will get him back, even if it means eliminating the one person who stands in her way—his fiancée, Lexie Mitchell. Brian and Lexie’s relationship has stood the tests of time and they believe they have what it takes to make it in the long haul. At least it appears that way until Shelly resurfaces and rocks the solid foundation they thought they built. In this fast paced narrative, Lexie, Brian, and Shelly embark on a spellbinding journey that pushes the limits of love, trust, desire, and lies. In Her Mind, by Renee Daniel Flagler, is the highly anticipated sequel to Mountain High, Valley Low.
Click on image to her Renee speak.
About the AuthorRenee Daniel Flagler ( www.reneedanielflagler.com ) is an award winning writer and the author of Miss-Guided, Mountain High, Valley Low, and In Her Mind. As a freelance writer and marketing professional, her writing has been featured in business and consumer newsletters and magazines, nationwide. Flagler’s company, Aspicomm Media ( www.aspicomm.com ), founded The Self-Publishing Symposium ( www.aspicomm.com/selfpublishingsymposium ), an annual business conference for self and independent publishers along with the S’Indie Awards, which honors the works and accomplishments of self and independent publishers. In 2007 Flagler launched the Divas of Literature Tour ( www.divasofliterature.com ), a multi-city promotional book tour featuring several authors. Flagler and her books have been featured in such media as Ebony Magazine, Black Issues Book Review, Black Star News, Mahogany Baby, The Columbus Post, and The Amsterdam News. Flagler is one of the resident “Literary Leaders” for WBAI Radio’s talk show, ‘Off the Page.’ She received an award for Excellence in Journalism by the New York Association of Black Journalists, was honored by Black Star News for her accomplishments in business for starting the Self-Publishing Symposium and honored at the Unlock Your Dreams conference. Flagler resides in New York and is currently at work on her fourth novel, The Houseguest. Web address: www.reneedanielflagler.com ISBN-10: 0976046628 | ISBN-13: 978-0976046622 Available online and bookstores nationwide. 
How to Overcome a Dysfunctional Family Legacy By Dr. Daryl Green
Are you dealing with negative vibes in your family? Do you feel like your being held hostage by your family dysfunctional behavior? Unfortunately, no one has a perfect family. In fact, there’s probably some dysfunctional behavior in everyone’s family tree; most people are too ashamed to admit it. Confusion can destroy a close-knit family. In this situation, the word “family” primarily refers to your extended relatives (brother, sister, aunt, cousin, etc.). Communication usually breaks down--feelings get hurt. Disharmony can happen to any family. In fact, this situation can be created either by individual choices or by the decisions of others. You can see it created through many ways: selfish sibling, drugs taking control, dependent relatives, money-stricken friends, or toxic relationships. Can you think of others?
Many issues can cause family confusion. Many people tend to react to their gut feeling without thinking through the consequences. Don’t believe these personal decisions only impact you. No, short-term choices can leave a legacy of total disasters. Do you need examples? Take someone else’s loved one? Threaten to kill someone? We live in a society where no one wants to wait and develop a real relationship. People prefer to generate quick “soap opera” relationships to shield their insecurities. There are unintended consequences. In 2000, former NFL star Derrick Thomas died from injuries suffered in an auto accident. Thomas had fame, fortune, and a bright future. He probably hoped to leave fans a legacy of outstanding memories. Unfortunately, this was not the case. It stands as another American tragedy. He left seven children from five different women and no will. While Thomas earned more than $30 million in his football career, his children will long remember the legacy of dysfunctional family memories. Therefore, individual actions can contribute to the level of dysfunctional behavior in families.
Some family members can also create family disharmony. A small dose of confusion can spread like a wild fire in a family. You can always find at least one person looking to generate “mess” in a family. What will start it this time? Family property? Money? This person will not let the problem die down; he is not content until there is a big explosion. The results are generally not positive. In our own family, we have seen family members fight over property. There is generally lots of anger and hurt feelings. Often kids are caught in the middle, left to carry on this confusion (even when they don’t understand the cause). While many involved in these types of situations are left empty, some people thrive on this negative energy and seem to get enjoyment from it (the more trouble, the better). They celebrate disharmony. We call these folks “troublemakers” or “instigators.” Here are some suggestions for improving these situations:
· Recognize the potential problem. · Deal with the problem immediately. Don’t wait. · Determine the root cause. What is the situation really about? · Determine who really needs to get involved. Do you need to broadcast the problem to everyone in the family? · Find common ground and create a win-win situation, if possible. · Keep your cool.
Building a strong family bond takes commitment. It’s easy to get sidetracked by “he said, she said” ordeals. It takes courage to look beyond the surface problems to determine the real root cause. You have to be stern in your beliefs…and committed. You need to focus on what’s critical for your family. Make every attempt to live at peace with everyone. Determine to make yourself a peacemaker and don’t allow yourself to be conquered by negativism. Stand Tall. Embrace your relatives with positive vibes. Effective individuals want to build harmony in their families. Start today before it is too late!
© 2009 by Daryl D. Green
Dr. Daryl D. Green writes on contemporary issues impacting individuals, businesses, and society across the globe. With over 18 years of management experience, Dr. Green’s expertise has been noted and quoted by USA Today, Ebony Magazine, and Associated Press. For more information, you can go to http://stores.lulu.com/darygre or http://www.darylgreen.org.
Marriage
is Like a Bank: Top 10 Deposits to Make Today
A successful marriage
is not based on a couple having no challenges or disagreements. But it is
based on how they communicate with one another day after day. The definition
of communicate is: a process by which information is exchanged between
individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior (words or
deeds); to open into each other: connect. Therefore, communicating is
connecting to one another on a daily basis to strengthen and enrich your
marriage. I am not talking about the day in and day out of the routine of
marriage – a peck on the cheek, “Have a nice day” - to a call in the
middle of the day to discuss the children or why you will be home late - to a
peck on the cheek and lights out. Marriage is a lot like a
bank account. A successful couple makes daily deposits – ways to make their
marriage a priority. © Jewell R. Powell, the
Marriage Coach and author of Marriage 101: Building a Life Together by Faith.
For more information, visit www.marriage101.us 
Authors Speak on What Matters Most...Voices of Thanksgiving AND Gratitude  Marvin A. McMickle, DMin, PhD, is pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, where he has served since 1987. In the past twenty years, the church has thrived and become one of the most influential African-American congregations in the city.
McMickle is one of the most respected preachers in the nation. In recognition of
his accomplishments, he was named the recipient of the 2006 Ralph Garfield
Schell Presidential Award for Excellence in Ministry. In addition to his
pastorate, McMickle serves as professor of homiletics at Ashland Theological
Seminary. For the winter semester 2009, Dr. McMickle will be a visiting
professor at Yale University Divinity School. Website: www.judsonpress.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday from the past was Christmas of 1977. My wife and I were going to fly from New York to Chicago to spend Christmas with my family. On the day of our flight from LaGuardia Airport in NYC a bomb went off that had been planted by a Puerto Rican terrorist group that was fairly active at that time. The airport was abandoned. many injuries and a few deaths occurred. Needless to say our "peace on earth" was shattered. My most memorable Thanksgiving is when my family and I were driving to my uncle's house for dinner when I was 10 years old. I never closed the door to the back seat tightly and I nearly fell out while driving at 55 mph. They had to hold me in the car until it came to stop. What are you most thankful for today? As a writer I am most thankful for the freedom of expression and thought afforded me by this society. That is not true in all countries and I deeply cherish and value that liberty. It is one of the core distinctives of American society that we all need to safeguard. In my books I seek to make the case that the freedom and liberty enjoyed by some in our world were meant to be enjoyed by all, and we need to keep working until we really do have "liberty and justice for all."  Ed Gray has become a nationally renown public
speaker from college campuses to state prisons to major corporations. The Detroit News described him as "a master at showing people how to get the most out of themselves."
His clients have included such organizations as Coca Cola USA, Ameritech Capital Corp., Catholic Archdiocese of Lansing, Jackson State Prison, University of West Florida Small Business Development Center, Alabama A&M University, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Francis Marion University, Elizabeth City State University, Clemson University, Rust College, Detroit public schools and numerous others.Since July 1991, Ed has hosted and written the nationally syndicated radio feature Power Minute. The show is syndicated by Anderson Communications in Atlanta and is heard on more than 80 radio stations across the United States. 40 Days to a Life of G.O.L.D. (God-Ordained Life Development) is Ed's first published book. Website: www.judsonpress.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? Receiving a book, "The Power of Positive Thinking" from my aunt Cassie when I was 12 years old. She gave my cousin Anthony clothes and other cool gifts and all I got was a $2.95 book. The book changed my life and put me on the path to becoming a speaker, preacher, nationally syndicated radio personality and author. God's power is often in the little things we take for granted. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? The last chapter of my book, "40 Days to a Life of G.O.L.D." is entitled, T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U. (To Have And Not Know Yields One Useless). I am most thankful for being gifted to speak and write to the spiritual needs of individuals and to be used to make a difference in lives. The message that all of my writings over the last 18 years have had in common is that deep inside every individual is the seed of God. He has something within each of us that He seeks our cooperation in manifesting. My work challenges people to think, look deep within and see God's greatness and manifest it.  P.J. McCalla was born, raised and still lives in Darby, Pennsylvania. She worked in mental health for 25 years and is now retired.
Heads Deacon, Tails Devil is her first published work and the first in the P. J. McCalla series. She's a fabulous debut author at age 80.
An avid reader and writer, P. J. has also written 14 other novels over her lifetime on a manual typewriter in her
basement, and they're all fabulous. Website: www.TheElevatorGroup.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday was when I was a child and got my first "colored" doll. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? Our holiday tradition is a simple dinner with immediate family. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I am most thankful to see my name on a published book at my age (80). All of my books deal with some form of mental illness, based on my 25 years of working in a mental hospital, and how those illnesses manifest themselves and the impact they have on the people around them, especially the family dynamic.  Gwynne Forster was born in North Carolina, grew up in Washington, D. C., and has lived, studied and worked in New York City
ever since she came of voting age. She considers herself a humanitarian, a perspective that she inherited from her mother, a high school principal, and which she also attributes to her work and education in the social sciences, more specifically, demography. Her fiction writing reflects her training in the sociology of the family and her understanding of inter-personal relations. It should not be surprising then, that quite a few of Gwynne’s novels and novellas are set within the context of the family.Gwynne Forster is national best-selling and award-winning author of six novels of general fiction, thirty romance novels, and six novellas. All of her mainstream novels and several of her romance novels have been featured in Black Expressions Magazine. Among her many awards and forms of recognition, Gwynne is most proud of her election in 2006 to the Affaire de Coeur Magazine writers Hall Of Fame, the Lifetime Achievement Award given to her by Romantic Times Magazine in 2007, and her selection by Harlequin to write a romance novel as a participant in its Novels Of Hope project with the St. June Children’s Research Hospital. Look for the book, What Matters Most, in October 2008. Gwynne sings on her church choir, loves to entertain, and is a museum hopper, gourmet cook and avid gardener. She enjoys classical music, opera, jazz and blues with her husband with whom she lives in New York City. Read about her many awards in literature. What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable Christmas holiday was the first Christmas Eve that I spent with the man who is now my husband. I cooked a turkey, the first I'd ever cooked and, to my astonishment, it was a perfect bird. Many things happened that evening that we still joke about. We didn't know each other too well then, and we "tiptoed" around each other, each wanting to assure the other a happy Christmas and neither of us knowing how. We had a wonderful evening, singing, eating, listening to music, telling each other tall tales of our lives and, of course, exchanging gifts. I shall never forget it. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the traditions for your family? We celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve, always with a roast goose dinner and mounds of gifts around the Christmas tree. We began the Christmas Eve tradition when my step son--then a teenager--got his first girlfriend. Of course, he wanted to have Christmas dinner with her and her family. So we invited her for Christmas Eve, and he went to her family on Christmas day. We liked the custom. We open the gifts after dinner on Christmas Eve. One beauty of that is that I enjoy Christmas day with no work to do. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your book have in common? I am most thankful for Jesus Christ in my life and for the health and well being of my family and myself. My books have different messages, but everyone of them demonstrates the importance of loyalty and common decency and the rewards of reaching for a higher goal. Website: www.gwynneforster.com  New York Times Bestselling Author, Kimberla Lawson Roby, has published twelve novels which include, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING, ONE IN A MILLION (a novella), SIN NO MORE, LOVE & LIES, CHANGING FACES, THE BEST-KEPT SECRET, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING, A TASTE OF REALITY, IT’S A THIN LINE, CASTING THE FIRST STONE, HERE AND NOW, and her debut title, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, and which was originally self-published through her own company, Lenox Press. Her novels have frequented numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times and those in The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Emerge Magazine, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, and The Austin Chronicle to name a few. Each of Ms. Roby’s novels have dealt with very real issues, including social status, gambling addiction, infidelity, single motherhood, infertility, sibling rivalry, corruption within the church, domestic violence, sexual abuse, care-giving of a parent, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, sexual harassment, overweight issues, and female illnesses to name a few. Full bio found here. Website: www.kimroby.com Ms. Roby resides in Illinois with her husband, Will. Her thirteenth title, A DEEP DARK SECRET, will be released on September 29, 2009 and her fourteenth, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR on January 20, 2010. What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holidays are the last few holidays my family was able to spend with my mom before she passed away. How do you celebrate the holidays? Always by gathering together with lots of family members, laughing and talking, and eating way too much food! What are the "traditions" for your family? Preparing my mom's cornbread dressing, her baked macaroni & cheese, cheese potatoes & smoked turkey---we prepare many other dishes, too, but those four items are a must for all of us. What are you most thankful for today? My husband, my health, my family and friends, and all the other wonderful things God has blessed me with. What message does all your books have in common? Always treat people the way you want to be treated because when you don't, there will surely be terrible consequences to deal with.  Victoria Christopher Murray always knew she would become an
author. Victoria has written eight novels: JOY, Truth Be Told, Grown Folks Business,
Temptations, A Sin and a Shame, The Ex Files, Too Little, Too Late, Lady
Jasmine: A Novel and was a contributor to the first Christian fiction anthology, Blessed Assurance. She was also the Contributing Editor for the Aspire Women of Color Bible published by Zondervan in 2007.
All of her novels have continued to be Essence bestsellers. In addition, Victoria has received numerous awards including the Golden Pen Award for Best Inspirational Fiction and in 2006, she was awarded the Phyllis Wheatley Trailblazer Award for being the pioneer in African American Christian Fiction. Victoria splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington D.C. In Los Angeles.
Full bio found
here. Website: www.victoriachristophermurray.com
What was your most memorable holiday from the past?Wow! Every holiday is memorable - in its own way. But I'll chose the first Christmas I spent as a wife. My husband and I broke away from the traditional family gatherings and had our own celebration together, away from New York. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? Like everyone else by eating. Isn't that what we all look forward to? Just being together is tradition for us, but "remembering" the reason for the season is a common practice. My father instilled in us the joy and celebration and reason we have what we have. What message does all your books have in common? The common thread is letting the books speak to each reader's heart. Not everyone will have a "hallelujah" moment, but everyone will gleam something practical that can be applied to their individual lives.  Bonnie Hopkins is a retired Community Relations Consultant who resides in the Houston, Texas area.
She is mother, grandmother, godmother, prayer intercessor, encourager, teacher, mentor, helper, friend and writer.
Writing is Bonnie’s second career, and no one is more surprised than she, that God has called her into a writing ministry. But she does know why, and her writing poignantly reflects that. She writes from a foundation of Christian principles from the Word of God, life experiences and observations. Her stories are about real, relative life issues that readers easily identify with. She is driven by a heartfelt desire to encourage, inspire and motivate others to keep looking to Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. Her stories ring with the message and the assurance that when God closes a chapter in our lives, we can trust Him for a new beginning because in Him there is a future and a hope.One of her most fulfilling endeavors is as mentor and coach to a group of aspiring writers and others who just want to be inspired to pursue their God-given gifts. Bonnie’s debut novel, “Seasons” was released October, 2005, and has been a blessing to countless readers - many of whom admit to reading the book over and over. She expects no less from her recently released novel, “Now and Then, Again”. Website: www.bonniehopkins.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday was Thanksgiving 1990. My siblings, along with children, extended family and friends gathered for the usual feast. The highlight of the day was hilarious laughter as we watched my one-year-old niece and her cousin of the same age struggle to get every tidbit of meat off of chicken bones. The babies screamed in outrage when anyone tried to force the bones out of their hands. This is now a precious memory. That would be the last Thanksgiving I would spend with my brother and his little daughter. Before the next Thanksgiving holiday, my brother had been murdered, and my niece and her mother had moved out of town. Although I saw my niece occasionally during the summer, I never had the opportunity to spend another holiday with her. She is now deceased. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I am most thankful for all the things most of us take for granted…life, a reasonable portion of health in spirit, soul and body, and the grace of God to survive in comfort. I am also very grateful for the opportunity to be a blessing to the Kingdom of God and others. The message that my books have in common is, and will always be, change, transition, transformation, etc. as depicted by my book titles. The title of first book is ‘Seasons’, and the title of the second is ‘Now and Then, Again’.  Vanessa Miller of Dayton, Ohio, is a best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker.
To date, Vanessa has completed the Rain and Storm Series. She is currently working on the Forsaken series, Second Chance at Love series and a single title, Long Time Coming. Vanessa believes that each book will touch readers across the country in a special way. It is, after all, her God-given destiny to write and produce plays and novels that bring deliverance to God’s people. These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.
Most of Vanessa’s published novels depict characters that are lost and in need of redemption. The books have received countless favorable reviews.Vanessa is a dedicated Christian and devoted mother. In 2007, Vanessa was ordained by her church as an exhorter. Vanessa believes this was the right position for her because God has called her to exhort readers and to help them rediscover their place with the Lord. Website: www.vanessamiller.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? Christmas is a favorite time of year for me, because my family just seems more appreciative of each other during Christmas. But, I still miss the Christmases I spent with my grandmother and my great grandmother. My great grandmother died over a decade ago and my grandmother recently had a stroke and can’t talk. So if I could share one thing with the people reading this information it would be: cherish your family, love them through the good and the bad, and when you share those special moments with them, try to be all there – don’t think about work, bills, or other situations, just enjoy them. Because life has a funny way of changing things on you. But nobody can take or change your memories. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? The holidays for us begin with Thanksgiving. My family normally comes to my house and we fix all the normal Thanksgiving foods: turkey, dressing, ham, mac and cheese, green beans, yams. I also fix my famous peach cobbler. But this year, I’m also going to fix a punch bowl cake. We stuff ourselves without guilt. On Friday, I get up early and go shopping with my daughter. By Saturday, we put the Christmas tree up and then begin putting presents under it. On Christmas Eve, I bake cookies with my nieces (this year, my granddaughter will be baking cookies with us). We then drive around looking at the lights as we deliver cookies to family and friends. On Christmas morning I open my Bible and read out loud about the birth of Jesus and about the wise men bringing gifts to this new born king, and I try to explain to children who are only interested in what’s under the tree for them, that we give gifts because of the gifts that had been present to Jesus on his birth. I tell them that we celebrate Christmas because of the birth of Jesus, then I let them tear into the packages. We also bake a feast on Christmas and eat everything insight. By this time we are feeling a little guilty and begin talking about the diets we’re going to be on come the new year. On New Year’s Day my family makes a point of sharing breakfast together, either at a restaurant or someone’s home, the point is the being together. And that’s what makes the holidays nice. What are you most thankful for today? I am most thankful for my grandchildren. Amarrea is now 2 years old and Jarod is 8 months. I love these kids more than I ever would have guessed, and life is so much sweeter with them in it.  Lutishia
Lovely grew up in a small Kansan town, and often had to rely on her own
creativity and imagination for entertainment.
Her childhood habit of long conversations with imaginary friends and fantasies
of traveling the world have evolved into a satisfying career that allows her to
indulge her passion for spontaneous jet-setting to parts unknown.
She’s visited forty states and more than a dozen countries. Since
childhood, she’s also had a deep-seated belief that dreams can come true. This
is what gave her the courage to take her self-published novel to a conference
attended by 25,000 people, give one book to one editor, and get a book deal. She
says that magic can only happen, when we believe…What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My favorite holiday memory is from when I was eight years old. Christmas was coming, yet on Christmas Eve, there were only two or three presents under the tree, and none of them had my name on them! I was VERY concerned, and shared this anxiety with my mother. "Well, maybe Santa won't come this year," she said. "You'll just have to go to bed and see what happens." I tossed and turned, but sleep finally came. Seconds after opening my eyes the next morning, I threw back the covers and flew into the living room! Presents abounded under the Christmas tree! "He came! Santa came!" I shouted to my parents. I was soooo excited! My parents beamed, as my joy became theirs. I don't even remember what I got that Christmas, and I think it was the following year that I found out that Santa Claus's real name was Mama and Daddy. But that for one Christmas, I believed that anything was possible, and that a total stranger thought enough of me to drop off gifts at my house. It remains my favorite holiday memory. And I still believe... How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? For the past several holidays, I've begun making my own traditions. One of them is to give gifts to the homeless on Christmas morning, instead of receiving. Myself and a couple friends buy essentials and treats: socks, underwear, toiletries, etc., and also candy, toys and BOOKS, wrap them, load up the car, don a Santa hat, and drive around the streets of Los Angeles looking for people living on the street. We don't go to organized places such as Salvation Army, rescue missions, etc. We find people sleeping on the street, tap them on their blanket, and when they come out from under the covers blinking away sleep, we smile, hold out the gift and say "Merry Christmas". I can't tell you how special these people feel, and how much joy I've gotten from this inexpensive act. They've been some of the best Christmases of my life. What are you most thankful for today? To be who I am, an awake, aware human being, and a published author! What message does all your books have in common? That Spirit is Love, and that while my books are about the drama in romantic relationships, our relationship with Spirit, and to who we really are, is the most important one of all. The miracle you're looking for is in your mirror. Website: www.lutishialovely.com  Kwanza
is the President and CEO of First Fruits Publishing, a publishing company
dedicated to Christian writers. Kwanza
knows that writing is her God blessed talent and with her heart, and mind and
mind planted firmly in her faith her writing is her ministry. Speaking the
uncompromising word of God through her characters, Kwanza uses real life pains
and struggles to reach and encourage believers and non-believers alike. . Kwanza
is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but she currently lives in Owings
Mills, Maryland with her husband and children. Website: www.firstfruitspublishing.com
What was your most memorable holiday from the past?Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, not only because of the gifts, but because of the memories of anticipation leading up to the day. I particularly remember Christmas Eve - the house dimly lit with flickering lights from the Christmas tree. Me and my siblings leaning over the banister trying to sneak a peak of Santa putting some goodies under the tree. What are the "traditions" for your family? My sister hosts the family's Christmas dinner every year, the Sunday before Christmas; all of the siblings get together and exchange gifts and enjoy some delicious holiday dinner. What are you most thankful for today? I am so thankful for God's grace and His mercy and for the love that He has for me. What message does all your books have in common? All of my books speak to the love that God has for us even when we don't think that He cares.  Rhonda McKnight is the owner of Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today
( www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com
), a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s the vice-president of Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. When she’s not editing projects, teaching writing workshops or penning her next novel, she spends time with her family. Originally from a small, coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for twelve years. More information about the author can be found at
www.rhondamcknight.net What was your most memorable holiday from the past? I'd say last Christmas. My parents built a new home in South Carolina, which is closer to my home in Atlanta. It was the first Christmas I've spent with my parents in seven years. We had a special family prayer, wore reindeer antlers all day and enjoyed good food and lots of hugs. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? I spend the holidays with family. There's always a big meal, decorations for whatever the season and storytelling..."Remember when Uncle Johnny fell into the Christmas tree..." and laughter, because everybody remembers all the funny stories. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I am most thankful for my wonderful kids. In particular that my eighteen year old son has grown up to be such a nice man and is planning to attend college. That was always the goal, but you never know with kids. So, I'm blessed. My books (I've written two, Secrets and Lies, December 1, 2009 and An Inconvenient Friend, August 1, 2010 and I'm working on my 3rd and 4th) all have a common thread about faith and forgiveness.
What was your most memorable holiday from the past?  Sheilah Vance, a practicing attorney and author who lives in suburban
Philadelphia, is also the President and CEO of
The Elevator Group, an independent publishing company which now publishes eight other authors. A graduate of Howard University and the Georgetown University Law Center, Sheilah’s novel Land Mines has won awards for multicultural fiction, African American fiction, women’s fiction, and cover design in the National Best Books 2009 Awards and the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Her first novel, Chasing the 400, was the first selection of the African American Museum of Philadelphia Book Club. She is also an adjunct professor at Villanova University School of Law, where she teaches education law, and Executive Director of the Institute for Educational Equity and Opportunity in Washington, DC.What was your most memorable holiday from the past? a) My most memorable holiday from the past is the one where my first child, my daughter, was born three months premature on November 7 and had to spend her first Christmas and Christmas in the neonatal intensive care unit in the hospital. (FYI--she's fine now and a senior at Wellesley College!) How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the traditions for your family? b) My family celebrates the holidays with a big Christmas dinner for sometimes 5-60 people. One of our traditions is to open gifts while listen to our local R & B radio station Christmas music and then to eat a big, home-cooked breakfast. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your book have in common? c) I am most thankful for my family, my health and strength, and my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has blessed me abundantly. The message in all of my books is that you can rise above your circumstances and lead an abundant life.  Trice Hickman, is the award-winning, bestselling author of Unexpected
Interruptions, which was selected as a Black Expressions “Dynamic Debut.” The novel also won the Southeastern Virginia Arts Association’s 2008 Afr’ Am Literary Award for Best New African American Voice, and the Best Romance Novel Award at the 2008 African American Literary Awards Show. Her latest novel, Keeping Secrets & Telling Lies, was released June 2009, and has received praise from readers, literary reviewers, and book clubs across the country.
Her third novel, Playing the Hand You’re Dealt, will be released summer 2010.
Website: www.tricehickman.com.What was your most memorable holiday from the past? Christmas at my maternal grandmother's house was always fun! One Christmas that stands out for me was when I was seven years old and she gave me my first watch! I've always been fascinated by time and could read a clock when I was four years old! Knowing how much I loved time pieces (at such an early age), my grandmother gave me a Mini-Mouse Timex with a pink leather band! I LOVED that watch! You couldn't tell me that I wasn't stylin' that Christmas! How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? The holidays are my favorite time of year, so from November 1, through January 2, it's on! I cook tons of food and have family, friends, and neighbors over to help celebrate throughout the season. One tradition that has been passed down from my grandmother has been to decorate the house from top to bottom for the season. My grandmother had a true flare for putting a stylish touch on simple Christmas decorations, turning everything she into a holiday masterpiece. My mother used to get fresh pine needles from the trees in our back yard and decorate the house with them; the smell was wonderful! And now, two generations later, I decorate my house from top to bottom in full holiday grandeur! What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I'm thankful for so many things, most importantly, for my loving and supportive family and friends who always give me inspiration and encouragement. God has been very good to me! The singular message that my current books (and future books) have in common is this: it's not about the mistakes you make, it's about how you recover from them. We are all going to make mistakes along the way, so don't sweat it. Instead of concentrating on what went wrong, work on how you are going to rebound from the situation. The characters in my novels are good people who sometimes make bad decisions, but it's in how they deal with what they've done that brings about life's interesting learning lessons.
What was your most memorable holiday from the past?  A writer inspired by the human condition, Avah LaReaux uses the power of the written word to captivate and entertain her readers. She has a talent for penning stories that focus on the lives of everyday people while conveying messages of empowerment, optimism, and inspiration. Avah LaReaux’s work and prose has been featured in various anthologies including In-Between Days and Under A Quick Silver Moon in the United States and abroad in the United Kingdom in the anthology Theatre of the Mind. Her current novels What's Done In the Dark and Song of the Siren are the first two installations of six in the Lost and Found saga series.
Website: www.avahlareaux.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My favorite holiday memory is from my childhood when my mom and sisters and I would gather in the kitchen to cook Christmas dinner. The event always started on Christmas Eve and I remember being so excited to go on winter break at school and come home to start cooking. While we worked, there was always music (Motown, of course) and egg nog. Most times, my sister would bake some type of scrumptious dessert and we would spend the entire day cooking, laughing, and telling each other to go easy on the cake. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? In our home, the holiday season begins with the first day of autumn and ends after the Super Bowl. We celebrate with decorations and music and, of course, food. From decorative squash and dried corn to the annual tree raising ceremony, we use every minute to laugh and reflect and enjoy each other. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I am very thankful for the opportunity to do what I love full time. Writing has long been my dream and to be living that dream is absolutely amazing. It is the realization of hope I carried in my heart long before I realized I could really be an author. That message of hope, for dreams, for love, for a better life, is the common thread in all my books.  Geri Morris was born in Washington , DC . She is a former professional singer, model and avid poetry writer.
Residing in Alexandria, VA., she is a mother and grandmother. Wanting to prove that you can become anything in life, she says that her grandchildren are the reason she decided to pursue a career as a published author. “To see the smile and honor on their young faces when they saw my picture plastered on a book was priceless.” Presently, Geri is busy working on the sequel to “All That Glitters…, and her next upcoming novel, “Three Shades of Blue”. Website: http://www.myspace.allthatglittersjustaint.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday from the past was actually when I was a little girl. The actual year is a little blurry. Being a member of a large family, five sisters and five brothers, I was the youngest girl. My father had unfortunately passed. My mother did the best she could raising so many children. There were many Christmas' when we had nothing. As a child, I remembered the closer it got to Christmas the more depressed I would become knowing that mama couldn't afford to buy us anything. "Show & Tell" at school after the holidays was always embarrassing because I'd have nothing to share. One year -- it was Christmas Eve actually, news had gotten out in the neighborhood that the lady with all those kids needed food for her eleven children. That Christmas Eve night, I remember hearing the sweet voices of carolers singing outside our door. I think I was around 8 or 9 years old at the time. At first, I wasn't quite sure if I were hearing things. I remember my mom or sister walking over to look out the door. When the door opened, I peeped around her and saw all these people standing outside hugging these large baskets that were filled with food and presents. My eyes nearly popped! Suddenly feeling hunger pangs, I thought to myself…."is that for us? Wow, we sure got a lot of food!" LOL! In the living room, we had a small Christmas tree but nothing else. The people came in singing, placing the baskets of food and presents down on the bear living room floor. We all stood around smiling in disbelief, my mom's eyes full of tears. For sure, God had sent his angels to our home. That night when I went to bed, my stomach full, I feel asleep right away. In the middle of the night, I awoke. Looking out the window, I thought for sure I saw Santa and all the reindeer riding across the sky! In the morning, me, my sisters and my brothers all flew downstairs. There were toys and gifts for everyone! Even Mama! That is a Christmas I will never forget!  Nika C. Beamon resides in New Jersey .
Currently, she is a Writer/Producer for WABC -TV in New York
. She is the author of the new non-fiction project, I DIDN'T WORK THIS HARD JUST TO GET MARRIED. It was published on May 1, 2009 by Chicago Review Press.
In 2000, she published her first novel, Dark Recesses, the poignant tale of David Jackson, a promising, young attorney who travels to rural Virginia for a family reunion and is entangled in a web of betrayal that had been hidden in his family tree. In December 2000, it was listed in Inside Magazine’s Hidden Hit List column as a best-selling print on demand title.
In 2002, she completed her second novel, Eyewitness. Eyewitness is the story of a man shot to death by a shadowy figure rising from the smoldering bushes lining the walkway to Beulah Baptist Church in a quiet, Southern town. After receiving two contradictory descriptions of the shooter from eyewitnesses; one describing a white perpetrator and one a black, the town and the investigation are divided along the color line. She has been a reviewer for Publisher’s Weekly Magazine and QBR: The Quarterly Black Book Review Magazine, as well as various websites. She is also a member of the Writers Guild of America East and the National Association of Black Journalists. She won a Peabody Award for ABC News’ coverage of the September 11th Attacks. She has also been credited as a reference in the several books on television news including: Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalist Report on September 11 by Alison Gilbert and News is People: the Rise of Local TV News and the Fall of News from New York by Craig M. Allen. What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday is the Christmas I stayed up to see Santa Claus by hiding in a giant cardboard box under the tree. My parents found me there but instead of waking me up, they let me continue to sleep and when I woke up and saw all the gifts, I truly believed their were miracles. I thank them for never stealing my sense of wonder. What are the "traditions" for your family? I always celebrate the holidays with my parents, brothers and nephew... and anyone that is present in our lives who may not have anywhere else to go. In my family, my father always cooks the holiday meal, we join hands around my parents table, say grace and then sit around telling stories about our lives, which may have been missed in everyday conversation. What are you most thankful for today? I am most thankful for the love and support of my family and friends throughout various stages of my chronic illness and as I try to live my dream to become a successful author. All of my books always have a sense of faith but also highlight the ability of each of us to carve out our unique path to happiness and peace in this world. Website: http://ww.mcbeamon.com
 Brittani Williams authored Daddy’s Little Girl and Sugar Walls (Urban Books)
and served as a contributor for two anthologies Fantasy (Urban Lifestyle Press) and Flexin' & Sexin' (Life Changing Books) all in one year, 2007. The Cathouse (QBoro Books, June 2008) and Black Diamond (Urban Books, Dec 2008) were her next releases. In April 2010 Brittani will release the highly anticipated sequel to Black Diamond, titled Nicety and will also debut Black Diamond the stage play in her home town Philadelphia, in June 2010 . Brittani has been featured on bestsellers lists, nominated for awards and been interviewed for numerous magazines, newspapers and radio shows. For more information on Brittani visit her
website: www.BrittaniWilliams.comWhat was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday would have to be my son's second. I had to work that Christmas morning but I woke him up around 4:30am so he could open his gifts. I pulled him out of bed and said "Wake up, I have a surprise for you" his response was "I don't want no surprise!" I laughed, it was hilarious but once he saw all of his gifts and his eyes lit up he couldn't get to every thing fast enough. I hated that I had to work but it put a smile on my face. How do you celebrate the holidays? Normally, with my mother. We have dinner and sit around watching movies together. Our holidays are very relaxed. What are the "traditions" for your family? Cooking! The women in my family love to cook, especially my mother. So cooking a huge soul food dinner even for just immediate family is pretty normal around the holidays. What are you most thankful for today? For my son. I believe that without him I wouldn't push myself as much as I do. I am always striving to do more because of him and I definitely feel that it's a blessing to have him.  Mimi Renee is a California native born in Compton and raised in Long Beach
California. Mimi Renee recalls that reading and writing has always been her passion from as far back as she could remember. As a young girl she read aloud to herself and others for fun and enjoyed volunteering to stand up to and read out loud in front of class as much as she could. During her sophomore year in high school at David Starr Jordan High in north Long Beach, Mimi learned that she was pregnant and was soon
transferred to a continuation school to finish her high school term at Will Reid
Continuation, in a special program for pregnant minors. Getting her life on track as a mother and not able to hang out with friends like she had in the past, Mimi reclaimed her passion for reading. Going back to her grass roots of scribed art suddenly Mimi had become inspired to put her passion for writing into action. After writing her first line on the page of her notebook, she was hooked. She has continued to write manuscript after manuscript and enjoying every minute of it.
Website: www.Johnsonpublications.biz What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My families first celebrated Kwanza holiday, back in 1997...To me it was a very meaningful and joyous experience, one that I will never forget... How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? My holidays are always spent with family and friends. For Christmas, my family’s traditions are quite the norm. We pot luck and cook together on Christmas Eve and drink eggnog, while listening to soulful Christmas carols. We always exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and open them up at 12 midnight. All other holidays are also spent together, always cooking, reminiscing, laughing, joking, playing games and importantly inspiring and loving one another. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I’m always thankful for the lord waking me, my family and friends up each morning, allowing us to have another day to make it happen-. And I’m definitely thankful for my craft of writing. My books all carry a lot of hurt and pain and show the actual reaction of these emotions. My message is always to forgive in order to move on and to pray in order to make that happen.  Tracie E. Christian has for several years worked as Children’s Fair Coordinator with the hugely successful Detroit Festival of the Arts.
Receiving wide acclaim for her urban fiction book series, The Black College Sabbatical, Christian has taken her literary endeavors to higher ground by creating the SAY IT LOUD...I'M BLACK COLLEGE PROUD Youth Seminars, a fun, entertaining, traveling seminar series for junior and senior high school age youth. The seminars are intended to spread the positive word about educational opportunities offered at historically black colleges and
universities! The 3rd installment of the trilogy, The Black College Sabbatical - SPRING QUARTER is slated for release in mid-2010. What is my most memorable holiday from my past? My most memorable holidays are Christmas. My mother would set our house up to be the last stop for the carolers in our neighborhood and the adults, would eat and drink while the kids played. Then they'd hang out with the kids singing, dancing and listening to music all together until the kids had to go to bed. What are you thankful for today? I am thankful for my family, My Husband, Daughter, Son & Mother, and my friends. This is a rollercoaster ride and I feel very blessed to have the strong support system to brave the twists and turns of building a business from the ground up with. I am thankful to God for making me stronger everyday and surrounding me with people who encourage me to get healthy. I love and am thankful to my Literary Partner, Adra Young. I have grown so much with her presence in my life! I can never thank her enough. What message does all your books have in common? My book sheds a different light on the black college experience. It demonstrates the heritage taught there, the traditions fostered there, the humility and life lessons encountered there from the prospective of people who have never been away from home before. It shows a dynamic passed the bands, fraternities and sororities, even passed the classroom. It teaches courage, perseverance, ambition and loyalty, as well as, the realities of betrayal, lust, selfishness and heart break. It preaches the necessity for forgiveness and friendships. Website: www.tracieechristian.com  The writer and artist doubly known as “Kaution” made her entry into the literary realm of Urban/Street literature with her first novel “Nothing Short of A Rainbow” a gay, urban fiction novel. Known for going one step further when spinning street tales of love, lies, deceit and heartache she brings with her own style of urban storytelling. With believable characters, real life drama and everyday issues, she writes to capture the realism of black lesbianism by giving it a distinct hallmark stamp of her unique style of urban fiction.
Kaution resides in Baltimore, Md. where she works, writes and play. The release of her first novel, “Nothing Short of A Rainbow” which follows the lives of a diverse group of lesbians who find themselves facing many issues found in the black, lesbian subculture. Her future book releases are: She, 360 Degrees of Difficulty, Don’t Wanna Be a Playa which will also feature poetry from her protégés “gHeTTo PhiLosoPheR” and “Verbally Beautiful” two up and coming talented writers in their own right are set to be release in late 2009 and early 2010.
Website: www.kaution-online.com What was your most memorable holiday from the past? My most memorable holiday was my first Christmas with my daughter who was 12 at the time. I had begun getting her for six months gifts that I felt were meaningful and unique to her personality. On Christmas day I watched her opened so many gifts it took over two hours to unwrap. After she finally finished unwrapping her gifts she looked at me and said I didn’t have to get her so many things that the greatest gift she had was me just being there and that Christmas for her was every day. That meant a lot to me because I had stopped celebrating all holidays for about 15 years. How do you celebrate the holidays? What are the "traditions" for your family? My family is basically a “new” family; we have been together for close to four years so we are still establishing traditions. One thing we do as a family is cook both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner together as well as go spend a few hours with my parents. Decorating the tree is another big event we do. My daughter is now 14 and we are trying to tailor our traditions as a family to be meaningful so that she will take those hopefully with her when she has her own family. What are you most thankful for today? What message does all your books have in common? I am thankful for my family; I lost my dad a little over a year ago and I have begun to strengthen my relationship with my older brother and hold on to the hope that I can do the same with my younger sister when “she” is ready mentally and spiritually to let go of a lot of anger and hurt. I’ve gone throw a lot in my life; I never thought I would have a child to raise and enrich my life and now I do. My mom battled two types of cancer at once and she is still with us and doing well. Lastly, my own life is good. The common thread each of my books share is the art of communication when it comes to love. I tend to pack drama into each chapter and show the elements of miscommunication and how the characters work to correct the problems that miscommunication tend to cause. I’m a firm believer in the concept that there is a solution to every problem—even if it’s not the solution you would necessarily want. My books work through miscommunications to find solutions. They end in maybe happy ever-afters or situations that are found through the art of communication to achieve their own solution. I think a lot of relationships in real life go sour because of miscommunication or poor communication between two people. Communicating may not save a relationship but it certainly will help preserve it.  Adra Young, a native of Gary, Indiana is not your typical educator.
Having a passion for acting, this young lady took her first shot within that performance arena at her very own Alma matter Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Moving to Detroit, to pursue her teaching career, she wasted no time, and also decided to take additional acting classes to perfect her craft. Taking the classes led her to receiving roles in various commercials, plays, and promotional modeling opportunities within the Detroit and South-East Region.
In 2006, she launched and established Ardannyl, an After-School program designed to promote acting, singing, dancing, creative writing, and art.
Due to her first book receiving positive acknowledgments for addressing the dilemmas that children, tweens, and teens are faced with, her second book, The Everyday Living of Children & Teens Monologues Volume II was released in the fall of 2008.
To find out more about this positive and energetic lady’s upcoming literary events and acting seminars, log on to
Facebook.com/AdraYoungHow do you celebrate holidays? I celebrate holidays with my family. We play cards, drink, and video tape each other. In addition we watch movies and make jokes about each other. I really love the time I spend with my nephews Elisha, Alonzo, and Tiwan during this time of year. They are the closes thing I have to real kids since I currently am not a mother. What are the traditions for you? Every year the day after Thanksgiving, my sister Smyrna and I go to Chicago which is just 30 minutes away from my hometown Gary, Indiana. We do our sister bonding thing. We walk around and shop on Michigan avenue until were totally out of energy. We go to Garretts Popcorn in get in that long line. We usually stay until the sun goes down and we head back to Gary. What are you most thankful for today? I am thankful that God sheds his light upon me. I am thankful for my health and my strength. I am grateful for my beautiful parents and siblings. My word would not be the same without my nephews. I am so happy for my friends. When you turn a certain age and begin to strive and aim for higher, you need the right people in your corner and your space. A special shout to all of my friends. My literary partner Tracie E. Christian, I love you for life.  Intimate Conversation with 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 archeologist, 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. 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.
Intimate Conversation with Gwynne Forster
 The
Legend of Quito Road by Dwight FryerThe Future seems to hold limited possibilities for Son Erby. The African-American child of a farm laborer in 1930’s Tennessee, his fate seems as certain as the sunset at day’s end. But when his father takes him to work at the Coleman farm and hands down the secret to making corn liquor, everything changes. Moving from shadowed parlors of the wealthy Sawyer clan to the illegal activities in the woods along the Mississippi River, this perspective novel explores the roots of racism, and the dangerous power of secrets that will shatter every taboo in a sleepy town caught between the past and future. The Legend of Quito Road is a look at a bygone time, the sobering echoes of which can still be heard today. Chapter 7—A SECRET SCIENCE In the scene below from The Legend of Quito Road, Papa Gill Erby, a religious man, teaches his only boy how to make illegal whiskey and keep secrets. Are there really many spiritual or physical differences in making crack cocaine or crystal meth today and white lightning yesterday? “Now, Son, this is serious business, awful serious for a boy. Remember when we talked about the Ghost of Quito Road yesterday?” “Yessuh, he was a runaway slave.” “Son, I said that and plenty folks ‘round here know it. But they don’t talk it in public. I waited five years after we married befo’ I spoke with Sarah on this. Now, I’m telling you that the Ghost wasn’t just any man. He was my daddy, Gillam Hale.” “Gillam Hale…” The boy paused while he processed it. “Papa, why’s your daddy’s name different than ours?” “Well, I’ll tell you that long story after we get things set up. But, for now, I need to get a few things straight. Understand?” “Yessuh, I do.” “Son, remember, you promised. You know Sarah gone ask, but don’t you tell yo’ momma one thing. You hear me?” “Yessuh.” “This week, we doing the same thing that made Gillam Hale a valuable slave to the white folks.” Papa Gill looked around as if someone else was there. One of the mules snorted. He whispered, “Me and you gone make whiskey this week on the Coleman place.” “Whiskey?” the youth said, twisting his face. “Yeah, that’s what we gonna do. We’ll fill every five-gallon jug in the back of this wagon with white-lightning whiskey.” “Papa, we got twenty-five jugs! What’s Mr. Rafe and Mr. Conrad gone do with all that whiskey?” “Sell it!” Papa Gill spat out. “They’ll probably get as much as six dollars a gallon off the whiskey we fixin’ to make.” Papa Gill placed his left hand inside his overalls and a strained silence surrounded them from the naked roadside underbrush. Only the noises of the mule team’s hooves and the slicing sound from the steel-lined wagon wheels echoed along sandy Quito Road. Son’s breath trails thickened in the winter air as he did the math in his head and pondered the economic possibilities. On that farm, Mr. Conrad and Mr. Rafe Coleman raised cotton, sorghum and corn—corn so sweet that Son liked to eat it straight off the cob in the field during the summer months. You could use corn for feed or you could grind it into meal. But during this third week of December in 1932, thirteen-year-old Son Erby learned you could use corn for something else. That week, Papa Gill taught his son to make white lightning like Gillam Hale had showed him. Making illegal corn liquor changed everything for that colored boy. Son was never the same. He learned a secret science and he learned it well. Pick up a copy today at Amazon ISBN-10: 1583147063 | ISBN-13: 978-1583147061 http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Quito-Road-Sepia/dp/1583147063 Meet author Dwight Fryer Fryer shares from his twenty-five years of business experience in leadership, technology, finance, accounting, marketing and publishing. He has written two critically acclaimed novels. The Legend of Quito Road and The Knees of Gullah Island. Dwight speaks about life, healthcare, business, leadership, history, literature, community and storytelling. The University of Memphis teaches The Legend of Quito Road in its Masters of Fine Arts Program in the English Department. Dwight Fryer has inspired audiences at universities, corporations, schools, faith communities and nonprofit organizations. His passion is to help people do all they can to succeed and use his experiences to inspire others. Fryer was diagnosed with cancer two days after a 1998 layoff. In 2001, the disease meningococcal meningitis took his youngest daughter’s life. He works as an advocate for immunization against bacterial meningitis with the National Meningitis Association. He survived a wreck caused by a driver under the influence. Contact him today for more details via email at author@dwightfryer.com 
Featured Community Inspirations 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!
Author 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.
Color Me Jazzmyne-- Listen to Chapter 1 and tell us how you feel about this topic. http://www.hudsonaudiopublishing.com/player.php?file=Chapter1.mp3
At seventeen, she escapes the intolerable
household of her father to live in the city where her voice is discovered by
the wrong people. She meets struggle after struggle; people take
advantage of her talent nearly wrecking her spirit, people she thought to be
friends use her to get ahead in their own lives. But she does not break
spirit, in spite of her many hardships. Later in life, as the
story opens up, Jazzmyne meets her adult son for the first time since his
birth. Many surprising facts are revealed about her past and her son’s
past.
Jazzmyne likens her existence to a box of crayons. Each color expresses a different emotion, strength or weakness that makes up the essence of Jazzmyne. Thomas’ writing is so reflective and interesting. But this is the purpose of the novel, to find out what color is Jazzmyne, which I still do not know or maybe do not understand her completely. Perhaps honesty is her color. In a world of hiding behind fame and from a past of deception from those who were supposed to be the closest, she wants only to be honest and real, especially concerning her son.
Thomas definitely cuts to the core of serious
subject matter: rape and incest and the cutthroat world of the music business. The
shocking reality of it all mixed with Jazzmyne’s relaxed and melodious voice
makes “Color Me Jazzmyne” a true reading pleasure. The book is
written in a kind of free flow, stream of consciousness style that one can
hear her melody singing through the pages. ISBN-10:
0615270670; ISBN-13: 978-0615270678
Snippet of a Review released by Hudson Audio Publishing http://www.hudsonaudiopublishing.com/featured.html The Knees of Gullah Island by Dwight Fryer
Gillam Hale was born to free parents, and his life was untouched by slavery until his preacher father took him on a trip to minister to the Virginia slaves. Gillam wants beautiful Queen Esther from the moment he sees her, but the only way to purchase her is by distilling illicit whiskey--against his family's advice.
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2 Corinthians 9:11-13 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 
We’ve
all heard that success is a journey, not a destination. I say that marriage is
a journey, not a destination. In other words you have to constantly work at
building a successful relationship; it doesn’t just happen. We know that the
cares of this world: career, children, household chores, other family members,
and more take up so much of our time that by the end of the day, we have
nothing left to give to our spouses. In turn, our marriages are missing the
very core of what it should have: love.
Gail McFarland is the published author of more than 100 short romantic confessions and stories and seven novels
including: SUMMERWIND (BET/Arabesque), WHEN LOVE CALLS (BET/Arabesque), BOUQUET (with Roberta Gayle and Anna Laurence, BET/Arabesque), LADY KILLER (LULU Books), and ALL FOR LOVE (LULU Books). 
Wife of 13 years and mom to 2, native Washingtonian (DC), Vonda Howard has been writing since she was 10 years old.
She currently still resides in the DC area with her family. She has 3 books to her credit so far; her first self published novel, “Diamond Lives, Platinum Lies”. Her second self published novella, “It’s always the Pretty Ones”, and her upcoming novel under Anexander Books, the first installment to her “D-cup Divas” series.
She is currently the owner and lead designer of her own graphic design firm, Cupcake Creative Studio which services scores of well known authors and business owners.
Website: 
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. 
Gwynne Forster is a national best selling author of thirty-nine works of fiction, including the latest of her seven mainstream novels, A DIFFERENT KIND OF BLUES AND GETTING SOME OF HER OWN (nominated by RT Magazine for best book of its kind in 2007. Gwynne is author of thirty-two romance novels and novellas, of which the latest novels are WHAT MATTERS MOST and PRIVATE LIVES. She has won numerous awards for fiction writing, including the Romantic Times 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, the Romance In Color Author of the Year award, the Gold Pen Award and has been inducted in the Affaire de Coeur Hall of Fame. 
CHANGE HAD TO COME is about dealing with life, wrestling with its problems and disadvantages, charting one’s course and coming out on top. It is about the effects that immorality, hatred, loyalty, love, kindness, competence and common decency can have on one’s life and on the lives of friends and family members.
Join me in welcome 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.
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