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I was born into a world of stories full of color and warmth and tragedy and magic and humor. I was born into a world of music and intuitive knowing and overpowering scents. But when I went to school, I was told that reason and logic were the only acceptable ways of knowing. Emotions clouded reality. Definitions had to be exact, measurable, black and white, no in-betweens. Keep it simple, I was told.
But I was not simple. I was a black, Puerto Rican female in a world that insisted that I be one or the other and valued none of those parts of me. After years of trying to fit my round self into a square world, I gave up. Those rules made no sense to me. And so I began to write my world, my way.
I write first and foremost because the stories I grew up reading in school bore no resemblance to world of my family and my community. Those stories did not tell about the way the sun fell on my grandmother’s hands as she handed me my fresh bread and butter breakfast every morning or the smell on my abuelo’s skin when he came home from the cane fields. Nowhere did I see my family’s many shades of brown complexions or the sound of my mother’s voice when she called me mamita. I write because those images of my life will not allow me to be silent. I write because somewhere down the road, I’d like a little black Puerto Rican girl just like me to find herself in the world of American letters. And that little girl? She’s already waiting.
Dahlma was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City. She is a product of the Puerto Rican communities on the island and in the South Bronx. She attended the NYC public school system and got her academic degrees from SUNY-Buffalo and Queens College. As a child she was sent to live with her grandparents in Puerto Rico where she was introduced to the culture of rural Puerto Rico, including the storytelling that came naturally to the women, especially the older women, in her family. Much of her work is based on her experiences during this time. Dahlma taught creative writing, language and literature in the New York City School system before becoming a young adult librarian. She has also taught creative writing to teenagers, adults and senior citizens throughout NYC while honing her own skills as a fiction writer and memoirist. Since her retirement, she has dedicated herself to her writing. Dahlma lives in the Bronx with her husband, Jonathan Lessuck. She can be contacted through her web page at
www.llanosfigueroa.com
"[A] compelling debut…Beautifully told by Llanos-Figueroa, this is an unforgettable saga of the magical beliefs binding one family for
generations." --Booklist
This commanding exploration of women's history will resonate with readers of strong African American feminist narratives like those of Toni Morrison and Ntozake Shange. With its unflinching description of slavery, it should also appeal to readers of slave narratives like Charles Johnson's Middle Passage and Manu Herbstein's Ama: A Story of the Atlantic Slave
Trade." --Library Journal (starred review)
"Rejoice! Here is a novel you've never read before: the story of a long line of extraordinary Afro-Puerto Rican women silenced by history. In Daughters of the Stone, Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa rescues them from oblivion and richly, compellingly, magically, introduces them to literature--and to the world. Bienvenidas!"
--Cristina García, author of A Handbook to Luck
"This is a remarkable first novel, both magical and deeply real, that vividly renders the power of storytelling to a diasporic people. The story of each woman in her own time and place is like a luminous fiber, meticulously spun from hay into gold, which woven together creates an unforgettable history, grounded in a black stone that symbolizes the legends and rituals of the Old Ones, but spiraling into a wider world that connects stone to memory and earth to continents. I am happy to add such a clairvoyant new voice to the Latina literary heritage. Llanos-Figueroa's 'Fela', with her embroidery skills, her dreaming, and her dance of loss and survival, is kindred spirit to my own 'Concepción'. I could not resist the magnetic pull of these
stories." --Alicia Gaspar de Alba, author of Calligraphy of the Witch
BPM: Dahlma, introduce us to your main characters in Daughters of the Stone.
Daughters of the Stone follows the lives of five generations of Afro-Puerto Rican women focusing on the legacy passed from one generation to the next.
Fela is an African woman, captured and sold into slavery in Puerto Rico.
Mati, her daughter is a healer who needs to establish a place of safety for herself and her people.
Concha has to choose between her mother's tradition and the wider European society.
Elena is the first educated in her line. She chooses a different path.
Carisa grows up in NYC and has to reconcile her life with the traditions of the past.
BPM: Who are your favorites in Daughters of the Stone?
Each one has strengths that I admire and weaknesses I can learn from. I couldn't pick a favorite any more than a mother could pick a favorite child.
BPM: What makes you powerful as a person and as a writer?
I think one thing that makes me very strong is recognizing that I didn't get where I am by my will alone. I stand on the shoulders of other very strong and creative women. When I stop honoring what they lived and died to give me, that's when I lose my way.
BPM: Who are your mentors?
The female members of my family to whom I dedicated the book are my first and strongest mentors. Artistically, I owe a great deal to Toni Morrison and Isabel Allende. Their work gave me permission to tell my story my way and helped me find my own voice. They also gave me the courage to speak about the unspeakable.
BPM: How would you complete this sentence, My writing offers the following legacy to future readers...?
Everyone from every culture has important stories to tell--whether in the privacy of their homes or on the page. I encourage everyone to find an elder and listen. Write down the stories, collect them, pass them down to the next generation. These are the only sign posts that we can leave for those who come after us. We all need the lessons of the past so we can build a better future. It is only in forgetting that we grow weaker.
BPM: What specific situation or revelation prompted you to write Daughters of the
Stone?
There were many reasons for my book coming about. I'll pick just one. As a child I was sent to live with my grandmother in Puerto Rico. At home in the Bronx I had the television to keep me company in the evenings. But in Puerto Rico, I remember sitting in a corner of my grandmother's porch and listening to the women on the porch telling stories. They sat in their rockers and talked about everything that went on in the town. They told jokes, corrected each other's memories and told and retold family tales. Years, decades later when those women were all gone, I remembered those stories and felt so connected. It occurred to me that those women's voices were never heard in the literature that I read or the media stories that reflected only the stereotypical images of Puerto Rican life. I felt that it was time for those voices to be heard.
BPM: How will reading your book shape the reader's lives?
Hopefully, my book will motivate them to look at their own family stories and examine how their lives have been influenced by what came before.
BPM: Ultimately, what do you want your readers to gain from your book?
I'd like them to understand the importance of storytelling in our lives. I'd like them to see the past as a foundation for the future and a conduit of strength and dignity.
BPM: What do you think makes your book different from other on the same subject?
My book covers a journey of 150 years that most people have never thought about. This novel examines the journey of the Puerto Rican family from slavery, through colonialism, to immigration to acculturation to self identity. Many people say that they never knew we had slavery in Puerto Rico. Others are surprised by the hardships suffered by immigrants. Others see the similarities in the characters and situations with their own journeys. Still others focus on the personal voyage of the characters. I'm happy that readers can take any one of these or many other routes to reading and enjoying the book. When that happens, I know I did my job well.
Buy now from Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa's
website
7 Essential Steps to Writing Your First Novel
By Trevor Johnson
Many people dream of writing their own book. But it remains a dream - maybe a few kind-of started pages gathering virtual dust on a computer somewhere and eventually consigned to the digital dustbin when an upgrade arrives.
So what can you do to make your dream of writing a novel come true? Here are some tips to help you.
1. Make an outline
You need a road map to follow if you are to stand any chance at all of writing your masterpiece. Start with the chapter headings and then a brief outline of what will happen in each chapter.
2. Flesh out your outline
Once you've got the direction of your novel worked out, it's time to put a bit more detail together. Notice that I didn't say start writing "for real" yet. Just add some meat to the chapter heading bones. Aim for around a dozen things that will happen in each chapter.
3. Define your main characters
What do they look like? How old are they? Are they male, female, animal or alien? Write a summary of each character - this will likely end up scattered across your book as each part of their character becomes relevant. But as the author, you need to know these details from day one.
4. Define your main locations
It doesn't matter whether these exist in the real world or not. But these should be defined in the same way you've defined the major players. This crib sheet will help keep your mind on track when you're actually writing your new novel.
5. Start writing
By now, your head should already have a very good idea of the novel you're about to write. Set aside time each and every day to work on your novel. This can be short, ten to fifteen minute, bursts or it can be an hour or more with your hands almost tied to the keyboard. The important part is to do this every day, to help convince your unconscious mind that you're serious. Don't interrupt yourself with editing at this stage. That uses a different part of your brain and will kill your creativity.
6. Edit and polish your work
If possible, read your book out loud. This will raise the places where you literally stumble over your words and will bring out the parts of your book that don't quite make sense. It's actually quite a fun process once you get used to it!
7. Publish
Nowadays you don't need a publisher unless you want one. You can publish your own work on sites like Amazon and indulge in your own publicity with a few press releases. The sky's the limit - go for it!
Ebooks - An Emerging Christian Book Market
by Jacyee Aniagolu-Johnson
In recent years, the ebook publishing market, which has literally exploded in the secular world, is also rapidly becoming an emerging Christian book market. While recent trend of ebook sales may have seen intermittent decline at specific quarters within the past years, ebook sales have also during other quarters reported dramatic increases (1) and experts are still optimistic that ebooks are the future direction; that is in the long run. Some analysts have suggested that any decline of ebook sales seen this year may be attributed to the flooding of the ebook secular market with many low quality materials; this is pretty obvious and one does not need to be an expert to observe this. Others have suggested that much of the information that many ebooks offer are easily obtainable at no cost on the Internet (2); that is with a little focused search on the Internet.
Logically, if you simply follow the surging trend of the technology of electronic devices and the expanding daily use of the Internet, coupled with environmental issues with regards to exploitation of trees for paper printing and other paper products, one can only deduce that the need for ebooks would only increase in the future. The way I see it, ebooks are critical not just to the secular world, but also to the Christian world. We need an inexpensive electronic book publishing outlet, such as the ebook outlet, to augment our current teaching and preaching of the good news of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So, if you are already a Christian writer, or you are an aspiring Christian writer, whether you have published a book in the past or not, now is a ripe time for you to start thinking about writing, publishing and possibly selling your own authored ebooks. Just in case you are not familiar with this term, an ebook simply means an electronic book. An ebook can be downloaded and read on an electronic device such as a desktop or laptop computer, or an ebook reader device, a device that is specially made for reading ebooks.
With the rapid Internet and technology device advancement, ebooks are already been published and made available in different formats such as: Adobe PDF or ebook Reader format, HTML format, which is a Hyper Text Markup Language, that combines text and extra information about the text (en.Wikipedia.org), the same format that website pages are created and published, and in Microsoft's LIT format, exebook (an executable file format) and other formats. You would need to spend sometime on the Internet reading information on different possible ebook formats that I cannot begin to list here.
Just know that the same possible ebook formats being used by the secular world is also applicable for creating and publishing Christian ebooks. Likewise, Christian ebook promotion and marketing would also mirror the same approaches as the secular ebook market, only that our ebook content, writing approach and target market may differ. However, be aware that there are a lot of low quality ebooks circulating on the Internet, especially product and website promotional ebooks. You as a Christian writer should strive to write, publish, promote and market high quality ebooks, both in content and design.
There are many uses of ebooks to the Christian world. First, ebooks can be used as a powerful tool for teaching and preaching the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have a ministry, a church, a Bible Study group or a faith-based organization, ebooks are an excellent, very cost effective way to produce reading material or cheap books for your members to read. Ebooks are excellent for Christian reading book clubs, youth ministry, and other church groups, especially the evangelism group. Ebooks are in fact a very powerful tool for evangelism.
Now, is the time for a Christian writer, or aspiring Christian writer to start gaining
in-depth knowledge about how to write, publish, and promote and market ebooks. You could in fact sell your ebooks either for profit, or use your proceeds to support various church ministries or Christian faith-based organizations.
There is no one stop resource center for learning about ebooks. There are in fact numerous good Internet-based resource centers that can furnish you at no cost very detailed information on how to write, publish, promote and sell ebooks. Also, you should strongly consider setting up your own website, if you don't have one already. A website provides you an Internet base for people to get to know you, your organization or company, the work you do and the products you offer for sale. For example, you may choose to sell your Christian ebooks, or simply make them available for free download at your website. You can also create a Christian content-rich website where you can provide Bible-based information in the form of articles, ebooks or both, as well as other writing works such as Christian ePoetry.
The process of writing, publishing, promoting and marketing ebooks have become a huge area that requires one, especially Christian writers and publishers, to really make time to learn and understand it. Again, there are numerous content-rich websites that provide very good information. So, take advantage of the free, highly informative and educational material that they offer. But be careful not to be quick to purchase ebook-related products, for example, ebook creating software, before you understand what the product really offers.
Ask other individuals who have used the product for their honest product review. Blogs on the Internet are great avenues for sourcing people's opinions about ebook software and their recommendations based on their use of the software. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. There are many scams on the Internet and you must be careful, as you take the first step into starting to gather and read information on how to write your first Christian ebook.
References:
1. "Publishers Report Increases in eBook Revenue and Units Sold in Q1 '05" by the International Digital Publishing Forum (www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/Q12005.htm)
2. "The Paradigm Shift Of Internet Marketing: The Transition From Ebook Marketing To Software Marketing" by Melvin Perry (Internet entrepreneur), copyright 2005
About the Author
Jacyee Aniagolu-Johnson, PhD is the author of an upcoming Christian non-fiction book release, “Rays of Victory: Nailing Racism to the Cross.” For more information about the upcoming book release by Marble Tower Publishing, LLC please visit
http://www.marbletowerpublishing.com
I grant permission to anyone who wishes to reprint and distribute this article on the condition that it is reprinted and distributed in its entirety, including all specified links.
You’ve seen her, know
her, and might even be her! The woman with the “counterfeit purse.”That’s the term for the symbolic bag that some of us may carry.Those who might dress fashionably and drive a nice car but have nothing
of real value. Many women are smart enough to know that they should put their
hard-earned money to work for them.However,
most are too overwhelmed, bored or intimidated by the particulars of stocks,
bonds and mutual funds to be proactive.
In
A PURSE OF YOUR OWN: An Easy Guide to Financial Security (ISBN:
9781416570813; $15.00), Wealth Coach Deborah Owens shares how women can use what
they know about fashion, dieting and romance to take charge of their finances.
This book offers respite to women who are tired of “renting” a wealthy
lifestyle with credit cards and are ready to utilize their unique strengths to
build wealth-a la Oprah and J.K Rowling.In
this straight-forward and easy to understand financial guide, women learn how to
increase their PQ or Purse Quotient and learn the principles to
becoming financially fit in any economy.
The purse is a reflection
of a woman’s economic power and Owens insists that in order to fill up a
purse, women must adopt wealthy habits that put them on the path to fiscal
independence and a financial identity. These are the behaviors that Deborah
observed in financially successful women throughout her more than twenty years
in financial services.She is a
former financial advisor and was a vice president at Fidelity Investments.A PURSE OF YOUR OWN shares examples of women practicing The 7
Wealthy Habits,” which include: 1. A Wealthy Outlook 2. A Wealthy Appetite
3. A Wealthy Vision 4. A Wealthy Mindset 5. A Wealthy Legacy 6. A Wealthy System
and 7. A Wealthy Focus. A PURSE OF YOUR OWN provides a distinctly
feminine financial perspective.
By adopting these habits,
Owens was able to fill her own purse. As an author, radio talk show host and TV
wealth coach she now shares her successful strategies with others.Each chapter of A PURSE OF YOUR OWN focuses on one of these
principles and discusses how to acquire and then apply the wealthy habits.In this easy to follow financial guide, Owens covers the basics and
intersperses stories from real women who have used the 7 Wealthy Habits and
achieved their own success. Owens empowers women to discover their own Purse-onality,
and use their female intuition to take control of their finances and create
financial security in their lives. In addition, A PURSE OF YOUR OWN
includes helpful quizzes and exercises and offers a free online supplement. [Read
More]
It
was quiet in the room. The sun, closing on the day, was sending her
warmth and comfortable colors through the Venetian blinds. Bewitching,
charming and divine, soft in its touch, enchanting like a rainbow...my eyes
danced with the colors as they turned...and I knew that twilight would soon
have his due.
It was peaceful!
I was surprised at the calm; distant was the rough activity of the world
outside, it seemed to be a complete absence of noise, of agitation, even of
stress. Which was surprising to me under the circumstances, but I was enjoying
this ambience. The bedroom door was closed, which was atypical because we were
the only ones in the house, but somehow it did seem more private.
When I heard the toilet flush, my heart quickened, which made me chuckle, why?
I'm not sure, but I do know that was when thoughts of my age came to mind.
Algebraic equations flowed across the blackboard of my mind. Arithmetic
answering my questions about five years from now, even ten... then eighteen.
Ahhh eighteen, all the years before it are just preparation for that year.
Then the board was wiped with a mental eraser and other numbers flowed,
representing the needs of what might be coming out of that bathroom, from the
first day of confirmation, things have to be brought, and I'm not sure if it
ever stops. I know that it gets increasingly more as the years go by....
That's when my hands starting getting sweaty; although the room was cool, I
could feel the circulating air blowing from the vents. Again, my heart
quickened as I looked at the bathroom door. Was that doubt that knocked!
Just an instant! Then I thought of her!
Her, with her warm smile and her quirky ways, her laugh that sounds so
musical... it made me wonder what she was feeling right now. Did she enjoy any
of the peacefulness that I was enjoying just moments ago, somehow I doubted
that she experiencing that, she probably was wondering about how I was
feeling. That would be just like her, to wonder how I was feeling...
With that, doubt...was knocked down for the count!
When the bathroom door opened, it squeaked on its hinges and I made a mental
note to spray some W-D 40 on it, another strange thing to think about at a
time like this. She didn't come through like I thought she would, instead she
called out my name, she had to call me twice while I found my voice to answer.
My life could possibly change within the next few moments...
"Yes Honey..." I said.
She said something about coming into the bathroom.
Well, I fumbled with my feet and made my way to the bathroom. It was bright
when I stepped inside there; I looked back briefly, to the quietude. The
impression of my thoughts still sitting in the pattern I left on the bed.
I looked into her eyes but didn't see any answer....
Gee, thanks baby... but I didn't say that!
I looked down on the sink counter and viewed the pen shaped medical
apparatus...
There was a plus sign.
"Honey," she started. "You're a New Born Dad!"
Joy! That's what I felt, and when I reached for her hand, I felt her joy too!
"I'm a New Born Dad!"
Written by Alfred Steven Harris, Author of 'Don't Push Me' and 'On-line
Love'
All rights reserved. Copyright April 2010; Email author: aplussolo@yahoo.com
Reorganized
Priorities by
Ariel Driskell
Reorganized Priorities is a story about heart break, forgiveness, and
unconditional love between a daughter and her estranged father. When they
realize that life is all too fleeting, they reunite, creating a bond strong
than ever, because in the end, family is all anyone really has. This is a
story about the importance of family, and realizing that no matter what
differences you may have, you have to stick together.
Reorganized Priorities is the story of young woman who has been
estranged from her father for several years, only to be reunited with him when
she agrees to donate one of her kidneys to save his life
The
story begins...
Journey inhaled deeply trying to calm
herself as she walked up the steps of the hospital. Three weeks ago, she
received a call from her brother Tommy, informing her that their father needed
a kidney transplant, and unfortunately, Tommy wasn’t a match. Without
giving it a second thought, Journey was tested to see if she would be a match,
and as fate would have it, she was. As she entered the lobby, she was
surprised to find Tommy waiting for her.
“It’s so good to see you,” Journey said as she and her brother embraced.
“Where’s Mom?” she asked hoping to have a moment alone with them both.
She was still close to the two of them, despite what happened between her and
her father.
“Upstairs, I needed a break,” Tommy said, intertwining her arm inside his,
and leading her into the cafeteria.
“So, how is he?”
“He’s Dad, still bossing people around,” Tommy replied shrugging his
shoulders and laughing a little. But when he saw the concerned look on
Journey’s face he knew now was not the time for jokes.
“I have a confession to make, J,” Tommy said, pausing and taking a
sip of his coffee. “The day I found out I wasn’t a match, I was
relieved.” He wiped away his tears that had unexpectedly begun to
fall.
Journey knew what he’d shared was
hard for him. She reached across the table and took his hands into
hers. “It’s okay. Surgery can be scary for anyone.” Being a
nurse had its advantages and she knew her family would be looking to her for
answers to their many questions about the surgery.
“Daddy is going to be fine,” Journey said in her most authoritative
voice. She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince more, Tommy or
herself.
“That’s my J, always the pillar of strength.” Tommy admired her a
great deal and often wished he’d made more of his own decisions in life.
Because according to his father, there had never been a question of whether
Tommy was going to be a lawyer. And Tommy questioned if he had made the
right decision after seeing how happy Journey was with her life.
Journey hoped that their heart to
heart had brought him some comfort. But unfortunately, it hadn’t brought her
much, and her thoughts returned to what type of welcome she would receive
from her father. She said a silent prayer as she walked into the lion’s den,
wearing her heart on her sleeve.
Her mother was sitting beside his
bed, listening to her husband complaining about one thing after the other. He
stopped speaking once he saw Journey enter the room and looked at her with a
blank stare.
“Journey, you’re here.” Her mother was happy to see her and
embraced her ever so tightly. She hadn’t seen Journey since her last visit
out West almost two years ago. And she hated that they were seeing one another
again under these circumstances.
James made a grumbling sound before speaking. “I wasn’t sure
you would come.”
“Of course I came.” Journey wanted to go to him, but her feet felt
as heavy as concrete.
Sensing her daughter’s hesitation, Ella walked over to James, and
kissed him on the cheek.“Be nice,” she whispered in his ear.“She is about to save your life.”
“And we gave her life, how ironic is that?” James replied, looking
up at his wife. She squeezed his hand, and kissed him goodbye once more.
“Despite what he says, he is happy to see you,” Ella said, hugging her
daughter again. She was the glue that held them all together, and they loved
her for it.
“Don’t
let him break you,” Tommy whispered to Journey before opening the door for
his mother. And then they were gone, and Journey was alone with her father.
“How are you feeling, are you comfortable?” Journey asked as she
slowly approached his bed.
“You look so much like your mother,” James said with a half hearted
smile.
“You should see
Elizabeth. She has Momma’s smile.” Journey’s spirits were lifted
by the thought of her daughter.
“Why did you stay away so long?”
Journey thought for a moment before
answering. “You told me there was no place for me here. What was I
supposed to do?”
“You were going to be a doctor. The next thing I knew you were
dropping out of medical school and getting married to a man your mother and I
barely knew.”
Journey could hear the pain in his
voice as though it had all happened yesterday. “Daddy, Bruce is a good
man, but you never gave him a chance. Once you heard I didn’t want to
be a doctor that was the end of our conversation. ”
“I didn’t understand why you were in such a rush to get married. It
wasn’t like you to be so impetuous.”
“We were and still are very much in love, Daddy. I have a wonderful life
that you know nothing about.” She instantly regretted thinking this was the
time or the place to discuss their issues. “You need your rest. I’ll
be back tomorrow.” She squeezed his hand afraid to show him any other signs
of affection.
As James watched Journey walk away,
he knew he needed to make things right between them. “Motherhood has changed
you,” he called out to her, as she opened the door. “You have always
been strong, but now, you have grace. I love you, Journey.”
“Oh, Daddy!” Journey dropped her purse and ran back to his
bed. “I love you too,” she said, unable to hold back her tears any
longer. For seven years that was all she wanted to hear. It was as
though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and her world was whole
again.
The
surgery went well and James embraced his second chance at life that God had
given him. And he vowed to be a better man for his family.
About
the Writer Ariel Driskell Ariel Driskell holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Psychology
from Florida A & M University. Her first romance novel, A Life Less
Interrupted, is scheduled to be released in mid to late 2011. You can reach
her at aedriskell@hotmail.com
or check out her blog www.frommyheart2urs.wordpress.com
Who's Your
Daddy? by
Debra Burgess
"Who's
your daddy?" In another era this would have been considered an
actual question. In today's language it's considered a colloquial phrase. For
those of us who don't study the dictionary, just think conversational or even
slang. Back to the topic though, "who's your daddy?"
The significance involved with this specific line of questioning should be
interesting to our generation. Is it any wonder it has taken on a life of it's
own in our culture and terminology? How many people do all of us know who have
no father in the picture of daily life? What do we even know to be a father
figure?
I have heard countless tales of disappointments for our "fathers."
When I dig into the matter it often leads into more tales of disappointments
from previous generations. My heart breaks for those who live in the place of
their disappointment, never moving on, always reliving a painful experience.
It's really time to know who our Daddy is so we can stop faltering by
putting all our hopes in the frailty of human beings. People make mistakes.
Once we recognize that truth we are free to move on to deeper understanding.
Our heavenly Father is the only perfect Daddy. I now have to ask
again, "who's your Daddy?"
I love to encourage the heart of people to be who they are meant to be in
Christ. My hope is anything offered of myself would be pleasing first to my
Heavenly Father and secondly to bring a blessing to others. www.debrabee.org
>> Original Article Reprint Source
Author Sharon R. Wells Draws
on Her Past
to Create a Resource Guide for Sexual Abuse Victims
Last
year was a landmark year for Sharon R. Wells. One year ago she created a
business called Angel Wings Publications, LLC, and a website designed to
empower and educate victims who suffer a wide range of repercussions resulting
from sexual abuse.
Today she celebrates the one-year anniversary of her organization at the same
time that she anticipates the publication of her first book, "Without
Permission." "Without Permission" is a candidly-written story
of the many problems Wells has suffered, all of them the result of the sexual
abuse she experienced as a child.
Book
and Website Helps Victims, Friends and Families Struggling
with the Effects of Sexual Abuse
The mission of her website and her book is both simple and critically
important - to build the awareness that can help prevent sexual abuse in the
future.
"I decided to open up and tell my story in the hopes that it may help
spare others the pain of sexual abuse," Wells stated. "I have had
the opportunity to speak at a few panel discussions. I look forward to other
such speaking engagements in the future. My most important goal is to
encourage victims to break their silence and begin to heal. I also hope to
educate and inform people so that they may recognize the various signs of
potential abuse and hopefully prevent other children from becoming victims
too."
She has published her introduction along with the first chapter of
"Without Permission" on her website as a free resource to people
needing help. For people who wish to know her entire story, the book will soon
be available at www.angelwingspublications.com
for $15.
"It is my fondest hope that 'Without Permission' will inform people about
the effects of sexual abuse and encourages sexual abuse survivors to
heal," said Wells. "I also believe my website can be a wonderful
resource for victims and the people who love them. If my book and website can
make a difference in just one person's life, then it will all be worth
it."
Sharon R. Wells, is a writer, entrepreneur, survivor and advocate of
sexual abuse prevention and awareness. It has been her determination,
unwavering faith and perseverance that has helped her to overcome many
challenging obstacles in her life. She has written heartfelt, spiritual and
inspirational essays during her healing journey. This has inspired her to
create Angel Wings Publications, LLC, to help victims find strength, hope and
courage to begin their healing process.
Sharon presently works as an executive liaison for a
prestigious fortune five hundred company located in New York City. Over the
past few years, she has achieved a certification in Human Resource Management
and is also a certified rape crisis advocate.
Book Excerpt: Without Permission A Spiritual Journey of Healing http://www.angelwingspublications.com/?page=news&id=977
"Without Permission" is my personal story of how I have
survived child sexual abuse and my journey towards healing, forgiveness and
finding inner-peace.
As I look back at the turbulence in my life which stemmed from sexual abuse,
it lead me down a path of self-destructive behavior. It included drug abuse,
relationship and trust issues with family and friends. Not to mention, the
long list of typical effects that this particular type of abuse tends to
spawn.
In addition, are stories of courageous survivors who share their stories on
how they have overcome their trauma and began to heal. The stories of victims
may differ in various ways, but the root of the problem is still the same. I
share these thoughts with those who seek comfort and closure. This problem can
torment the victim from childhood throughout their adult lives. This is a
sensitive issue, and for those who have been affected, this may open a door
where you find courage to seek help and support. This is an issue that must be
addressed, and up until now, has had a lack of exposure. It is time to unveil
the secrets without shame or fear, and trust that God will help you find inner
peace.
Annual Resolutions for African American Women
by author Hazel Mills
When people talk about making resolutions for the new year, it usually involves quitting or losing something or someone. For example, millions of people will resolve to quit smoking and twice as many more will promise to lose weight. Beginning
the new year, we will be saturated with television and print ad campaigns for gym memberships, weight loss program and equipment deals as well as products to help with nicotine addiction.
Although these changes in lifestyle are great and for some, can mean the difference between life or death, there are so many other things that we, as African American women, can do to make our lives more healthy, positive and meaningful
throughout 2010.
1. Resolve to spend more time with God. This should be non-negotiable and always first on everyone's to-do list for the new year. He has created so many beautiful and magnificent things, including you. Resolve to attend church or bible study more often than you do now. Make time in your busy day just to say a quiet "thank you".
2. Resolve to ditch the drama. I can't say enough about this one. The stress of living a drama-filled life can affect your mental and physical health. Find ways to get rid of your own and to avoid getting pulled into the madness of others around you. This is much more challenging to accomplish around the holidays.
3. Resolve to take control of your health. On the morning of January 1
and the rest of the year, ask yourself the following vital questions: What is my HIV status? What are my cholesterol numbers? When was my last pap smear and/or mammogram? When did I last see a dentist? If you can't answer these questions definitively, on January 2nd, call your doctor(s) and make an appointment.
4. Resolve not to starve your savings account. 2009 has been a year of economic hell and we have all cut back on rewarding ourselves with luxuries like new cars and vacations. Some may have dipped into the piggy bank just to make ends meet. In 2010, try to make a point to put a little something away from each paycheck. It doesn't have to be much. Pennies add up to dollars.
5. Resolve to be more generous. I am not talking about money here. Your time is more valuable than your dollars. Volunteer to read to hospitalized children, to serve food at a local women's shelter or build a home with Habitat For Humanity. The warm fuzzy feeling you'll get from knowing you helped someone else will be worth more than rubies.
6. Resolve to learn something new. The new year is a great time to create new adventures by learning to do something new. Check out your local community college for course selections. Many classes are available in the evening. You can learn all sorts of interesting things like how to play golf, speak a new language, play a mean game of chess, tune-up your car's engine or countless other hobbies. When we stop learning, we stop growing.
7. Resolve to re-unite with an old friend or relative this year. Invite your room-mate from your college days out for dinner and some catching up or call and chat with a cousin whom you haven't seen since the last family reunion years ago. Sharing a laugh always lifts the spirits. But when planning a reunion, remember to heed number 2 on this list.
8. Resolve to be more informed about social and political issues. We all could use a nudge in this department. Celebrity gossip rules the talk show circuit and magazines covers but how well do you know the political climate of your own city? Let's resolve to spend time expanding our minds this year about what is going on in our world and with those we have elected to represent our interests in government.
9.Resolve to take yourself on vacation. Getting away on a shopping excursion with the girls is therapeutic and relaxing on a tropical beach with your significant other is wonderful. But why not take the concept of "me time" to a whole new level by treating yourself to a weekend at the spa? Treat yourself to a one night stay at a beautiful hotel across town. No phones, no text messages, no emails. You can't take care of others if you don't first take care of yourself.
10. Resolve to speak the truth in love. Hard but necessary. People don't always want to hear or accept the truth. Lies make life so much harder than it has to be. If you tell the truth with sugar rather than with salt, it is usually a littler easier for the other person to swallow. They may not agree with you but you don't need a fan club. Respect, from others and for yourself is the goal.
This list is a great place to begin to think about your life and the direction in which you want to go in 2010. Empower yourself to be a better person than you were in 2009. There is always room for improvement and you don't have to wait until the new year to make a change. Today is a good day.
Website: www.hazelmillsstories.com
Copyright 2010 written by author Hazel Mills
Detox
Your Finances by
Deborah Owens
Just
as liquids are important to flush toxins from your system as you diet, a similar
approach can trim the bulge in your budget. Americans have been bingeing on debt
and according to the Federal Reserve Board have racked up more than 2.26 billion
dollars in consumer debt.
Like
dieters who get on the treadmill daily and the pounds don’t come off it can be
difficult to gain control of your finances. The culprit---- fees and monthly
interest charges that have the same affect on your budget that nutritionist say
artificial sweeteners and refined sugar have on weight loss. Here are a few
ideas that you can use to implement a financial cleansing.
Financial
Fast
Like a fast when you’re dieting it is important to approach ridding yourself
from debt gradually otherwise you feel deprived and then start to binge or in
this case overspend. Start by making a list of all your debt and identifying the
largest balances with the highest interest rates first. Pay off your small
balances first and eliminate a bill or tackle the balance with the highest
interest rate in order to short circuit the compound interest on your balances.
The key is to gradually reduce your debt burden and experience a feeling of
financial peace.
Drink
your liquids
When I talk about putting liquidity in your budget I’m not talking about
grabbing a can of Slim Fast, I mean having readily available cash. One of
the main causes of credit card debt is not having an emergency fund. Building
liquidity may require you to cut your expenses. If you haven’t been saving
money, I hope to convince you to reverse that trend.
Make
a commitment to pay yourself ten percent of your take home pay each week and
have it automatically transferred from your paycheck or checking account. into a
savings or a money market account.The trade off is settling for the paltry current interest rates of 1.50%
or less. For listings of top-yielding savings, money market accounts and CDs,
check www.bankrate.com and www.imoney.net
When an emergency happens you can reach for cash instead of credit.
Spend
Organically
Going green in your finances means using cold hard cash. A study on
spending behavior found that people who use credit cards for everyday purchases
spend fifteen percent more than if they were using cash.
Give yourself an allowance every pay period and make a commitment to use cash
only. When you open your wallet and there is no cash it means you have
reached your spending limit. The sweetest sound a financially responsible person
hears is the sound of their wallet or purse snapping shut.
Deborah Owens is the Wealth Coach on My Generation TV on PBS and
is the author of a Purse of Your Own; The Easy Guide to Financial Security
published by Simon and Schuster. Visit www.deborahowens.com
to read an excerpt.
Advice from the Top: What Minority Women
Say About Their Career Success
by author Valencia Campbell
Join me in welcoming author Valencia Campbell to the family. 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.
Intimate Conversation with author Valencia hosted by Ella Curry of EDC Creations
Cathy Hughes, founder of Radio One, one of the nation's largest radio broadcasting companies, was rejected 32 times for a business loan. Joy Bramble, publisher of the Baltimore Times, started her newspaper business in her kitchen. And Gwendolyn Calvert Baker, former president of the United States Committee for UNICEF, didn't obtain her bachelor's degree until she was in her 30s.
Author Valencia Campbell shares these and other stories in her book, "Advice From the Top: What Minority Women Say About Their Career
Success" (
ISBN-10: 0313358583 | ISBN-13: 978-0313358586 ). Campbell, a Maryland-based consultant on educational topics and women's issues, traces the careers of 14 successful minority businesswomen to find out what challenges they faced and how they worked their way up the ladder. We spoke with Campbell to see what others can learn from the women's experiences.
»Ella: Introduce us to the primary message in your book, Advice from the
Top.
One of the key messages in my book relates to how the minority women define success. A common theme was the idea of setting your own goals and achieving them. Nearly all of the women did not equate money with success despite the fact that they all had achieved considerable financial wealth.
»Ella: What led you to create Advice from the Top now?
I wrote this book to help minority women realize their career dreams. Often we minority women are confronted with race and gender barriers that impact our career aspirations. By learning from the career experiences of other women, we can move ahead at a faster pace. I include specific tips that will help women overcome some of the barriers as well.
»Ella: What impact will Advice from the Top have on the community?
I think my book will inspire women to set their career goals high. Chapter Three for example, shares the amazing stories of millionaire business owners like Cathy Hughes and Eunice Dudley. Also, former Prince George's School Superintendent Iris Metts is included. News anchor Andrea Roane and medical doctor, Beatrice Muglia, among others are included too. Readers will see how the women's family, mentors, professional networks, and personal drive propelled them to success. These women's stories will leave a lasting legacy for those who want to improve the status of women in our society.
Advice from the Top 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. 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 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.
»Ella: Is there a defining message that you want readers to grasp and share?
It's so important to me for my readers to start sharing their own stories of success whether it is in a news article, magazine article or their very own book. It is important that minority women across a wide range of occupational fields share their stories.
»Ella: Before we end the interview, define SUCCESS. What part does GRATITUDE play in achieving success, in your opinion?
Like the women I interviewed, I believe that success is achieving goals that you set for yourself. You should not let others define success for you. When we receive support from our families, mentors, professional and or social networks, we can show our gratitude by helping someone else realize their career dreams.
Cedric
Muhammad, a unique political, business and macroeconomist, has influenced the
worlds of culture, electoral politics and finance. His analysis and advice are
sought by World Leaders, Members of Congress, entertainers, activists,
journalists, and businesspersons. As President of CM Cap, he has advised a
range of individuals and institutions from first-time entrepreneurs to
international governmental bodies. He has been published or appeared in
respected financial media such as The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg
Financial News.
In
the Spring of 2004 Cedric successfully consulted the campaign of Cynthia
McKinney, helping her to return to Congress, representing the Fourth
Congressional District Of Georgia. Cedric served as chief strategist to the
campaign.
Also in the Summer of 2004, Mr. Muhammad was hired by Source Enterprises CEO,
Mr. David Mays, to serve as a strategic consultant to the CEO and The Source
Magazine, the most widely circulated Hip-Hop magazine in the world.
Video
Book Introduction: Cedric Muhammad gives an Overview of each of his three volumes in his
brand new Book Series entitled "The Entrepreneurial Secret to Starting a
Business: Without a Bank Loan, Collateral or Revenue." Volume 1 - 'The
Political Economy'; Volume 2 - 'The Business Principles'; & Volume 3 - 'The
Personal Struggle'. Purchase the series
here.
The
under 40 year old’s unique background in the entertainment industry,
congressional campaigns, and media provide him with valuable skill sets and a
network which he deploys in a variety of causes and ventures. An example is
Cedric’s brokering of a meeting between Congressman Bennie Thompson and
Hip-Hop artist David Banner to discuss local and national economic empowerment,
education and community development in July of 2005.
Cedric
served as General Manger of the multi-platinum music act, Wu-Tang Clan,
negotiating its tour with Rage Against the Machine in 1997, and endorsement deal
with Pepsi Co. That same year, he established an inner city consulting firm
advising McDonald’s Corporation and the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, among others.
In
2000, he debuted BlackElectorate.com,
a news-analysis daily covering issues and events that impact the global Black
electorate. The site is viewed in over 50 countries. Cedric
also runs Black Electorate Economics University (BEEU) - an online school
dedicated to making separate branches of economic thought applicable to everyday
life. BEEU’s student body is comprised of professionals, college
students, investors, and working class laborers, in America and in over 10
countries. Course topics include, personal finance, entrepreneurship, business
strategy and international monetary policy.
In
2007, Cedric founded the unique multi-media broadcast network, The Black Coffee
Channel (http://www.blackcoffeechannel.com/)which
hosts "The Cedric Muhammad And Black Coffee Program" and covers
culture, politics, and business developments on the ground, in the Black-English
speaking world. Cedric’s
weekly column on music industry marketing trends and business models, “The
Hip-Hoppprenur™” can be read each week at AllHipHop.com. For more
information on Cedric and his work visit his website at: http://www.cedricmuhammad.com
Featured Bookclub Only One Key Stroke Away (O.O.S.A.)
Only
One Key Stroke Away (O.O.S.A.) was founded in January of 2005 by a group of
readers, wishing to share their thoughts and opinions with others. We started
out as a group that simply read together. Eventually we moved to inviting
authors to chat with us about their books. Shortly thereafter, we decided to
review our selected reads. Our reviews are posted at several sites including:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, MySpace and GoodReads. The rest is…OOSA! Our resume
includes hundreds of titles of varying genres as our motto is: OOSA Gets It
Read!
Ella:
What is the vision for your organization?
We do not have a president. We are a team and there is no “I” in team. We
each have responsibilities and tasks that make OOSA what it is. We are an online
book club and reviewing team that focuses on African American authors. We wish
to further promote African American literature by taking special interest in new
and self published authors. We read, review and recommend.
Ella: Give a deeper understanding of how important reading is to you.
It’s cliché, but reading is fundamental. It’s the corner stone to life. We
read everyday in our lives, whether we want to or not. Because literacy is so
important we believe in starting as early as possible. The Ladies of OOSA are
mothers, grandmothers and aunts. We promote literacy within our families first.
When our children see us reading and enjoying ourselves, it encourages them to
read. They learn reading is not a chore but something fun to do. What better
method than to teach by example.
Ella: Favorite couple from a book: Nina and Dutch (Dutch - Kwame
Teague), Yuri and Britt (The Sweetest Taboo - Risque), Portia and Jay (A Dollar
Outta Fifteen Cent - Caroline McGill), Clark and Devin (Caught in the Mix -
Candice Dow) and Natalia and Shawn (Triangle of Sins - Nurit Folkes).
Ella: Favorite genre, series or sequels: We are a group of
avid readers with various tastes in literature. As such, we really don’t have
particular preferred genres. We welcome and enjoy all genres. Some of our
favorite sequels include: Little Black Girl Lost by Keith Lee Johnson, the
True2Life series by Al-Saadiq Banks, Dutch by Kwame Teague, Naughty by Brenda
Hampton, the Vernetta Henderson legal thrillers by Pamela Samuels Young and the
Dilemma series by Reign.
Ella: Share your news or events with us. What's next for your group?
What’s next…more Author Spotlights and contests.. And as always, we read,
review and recommend. It’s what we do.
Marriage 101 : Building a Life Together by Faith
by Jewell R. Powell
7
STEPS TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM
What is financial freedom? More than just a dollar amount on your paycheck,
financial freedom is a state of mind. It’s the comfort of knowing you’re
debt-free. Getting started with eliminating debt is easier than you think. If
you follow these seven simple steps, you’ll be on your way.
1.
Change the way you look at money – renew your mind!
We tend to think of money as the enemy, a scapegoat for all of our financial
woes. Learn to look at money as a means to living comfortably, not the cause of
your struggles. Ultimately, we are the ones who decide where our money goes.
It’s not like dollar bills sprout legs and go buy a new TV, right? Money
discussions can be uncomfortable for many married couples, but talking is an
important first step. A good book on this is “Secrets of the Millionaire
Mind” by T. Harv Eker or “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki.
2. Get out of debt – owe no man anything!
Living with debt is more than a financial drain and mounting interest. It’s
also constant worrying over whether you can pay your bills. Here’s the most
effective (and simple) way to tackle your debt: Start by paying off the credit
card with highest interest rate. Set some specific goals here. How much extra
can you pay each month? Always make more than the minimum payment. Once that
card has been paid off, start working on the bill with the next highest
interest. Throughout this process, you should be paying the minimum on all of
the credit card bills you have. Check out this free e-course on getting out of
debt (http://www.youneedabudget.com/index.php#order).
3. Don’t create any more debt – be a wise steward!
Now that you credit card balance is down to zero, you want to keep it that way.
To remain debt-free, all you have to do is spend less than you take in. Easier
said than done? Maybe. This is another opportunity to have a good heart-to-heart
talk with your spouse about both of your spending habits. Some people recommend
cutting up all your credit cards. However, keeping one credit card as a safety
net in case of emergency is perfectly fine. Keep only one card, take it out of
your wallet, and put it some place less accessible – such as your family’s
fire safe. The time it takes to get out the card will serve as a “cooling
off” period.
4. Create a budget – count the cost!
Budget can be an unpleasant word – like ‘diet’. But don’t think of it as
depriving yourselves – think of it as investing in yourselves. Which sounds
better: one dinner at your favorite steak house or going to be every night
knowing you’re debt-free? Think of your budget as an opportunity to cast a
vision together as a couple. What’s important to both of you? Your spending
should reflect your values, what you hold most dear in your heart. Here’s a
simple software program you can use for creating and keeping your budget
together(http://www.youneedabudget.com/index.php#order).
5. See where it goes – make a list and check it twice!
For an entire month, track everything you both spend money on – down to the
last penny. Evaluate whether you are prone to making impulse purchases. Also,
look at whether advance planning will help. For instance, plan your meals at
least a week in advance. Multiple trips to the grocery store mean multiple
opportunities for impulse purchases.
6. Start saving – plan for the future!
Build yourselves a nice cushion of cash. After you’ve lowered your debt and
begun living on a budget, you should money to put into a savings account each
month. When an emergency arises, you’ll have cash to cover the expenses – no
need to borrow money or use a credit card.
Seek wise counsel about different kinds of accounts you can use to save money
tax-free. For example, you can contribute to a 401(k) and steadily build a nice
nest egg – and the difference in your net paycheck is so small you might not
even notice it.
You’re
not limited to stocks, bonds, and savings accounts, either. There are a lot of
pretty creative ways to save money that you might not have considered before.
Check out www.liveoutloud.comfor some great ideas.
7. Get insurance – get yourself into good hands!
If you don’t both have enough health insurance, one accident or illness could
devastate you financially. Even if you have insurance through work, evaluate
whether it’s enough to prevent a financial crisis. Consider getting
supplemental insurance if you believe you’re underinsured. Also, don’t
overlook disability insurance. Should you find yourself unable to work, debt is
guaranteed to mount. You might think extra insurance is too expensive – but
you’re wrong! For most young adults, life insurance and disability insurance
cost less than a dollar a day. You’ll never know unless you ask – so call
around and start learning about your options.
Small
changes add up quickly. Don’t let bad money habits wreck your marriage.
You’ve got to both be committed to this goal if you’re going to make it
happen.
Financial freedom is closer than you think. Don’t wait a minute longer to
achieve your dream – start on these seven steps today!
A little shy girl who grew into a woman with dreams and a voice to be heard
And no one told me this world was going to be so cold
I am but a spec on the earth from up above, looking down
I am but one,
I am but a person,
I am but another writer, another author, another expression of my serenity
I also recognize I want to get noticed...but no one knows my name
I can hear a mild sound, a distance bump-bump in the night,
It is my heart and it is yearning and sometimes stirring with mixed emotions, not knowing which turns are right
Walking on a line so thin, trying desperately to figure out my pathway
I already tried to be someone else, but I now know I can only be me, and yes… I have a name
Calm, delicate, watching the world pass right in front of me,
I see love and hate – a world filled with so much drama and different attitudes
And I just feel full of energy and take on the world by writing in magnitude
Writing is my comfort, it is my Life – I sometimes find myself hidden behind the words on the page
Words for people to read, enjoy, cry and laugh,
I’ve made my decision, and you will find out it’s affections upon you - generations upon generations
I’m ready to say what’s on my mind, so I need your attention, because this may take you on many elevations
I’ve been chained, banged, whipped and multiplied
And you don’t know my name
I’ve raised many children – some, not my own, and they have carried my values and fed from me
I have slaved the fields and held down an entire generation
And I am everyone’s mother, it seems
I’ve been called the minority because of my gender and my race
I have to fight with words and stand by my man and defend my family
If you only knew what these eyes have witnessed…Go ask you grandmother
The world is changing and things are happening, and if you don’t pay attention…well… you may have already missed it
A new generation, a new time…afro-puffs and hand cuffs, trying to fight for freedom. Black Power!
I now have many roles
I have my struggles, but I move on, cause my kind is strong like that
I can be anyone, the opportunity is there for me to grab
Visions, desires, and new challenges…
I am taking on the world with boldness
And yes, you will remember my name, because I am a Black Woman
An undeniable, evident, special, beautiful, God-fearing, phenomenal Black Woman
Bankruptcy
Ain't Broke
Putting the pieces back together through life lessons.
by Theresa D. Royal, CMP
Finally, a straight talk book about bankruptcy through the eyes of a regular person. This is not a rags to riches story. This is a true life account of the emotional ups and downs of filing bankruptcy and putting the pieces back together through lessons learned.
Theresa Royal is an entrepreneur who dispels the myths that everyone who files for bankruptcy has bad credit or is just trying to get out of paying their debts. Bankruptcy "Ain't" Broke will give a true account about the struggles of bankruptcy and dig deep into this taboo subject, especially in the African American and Latino communities. It's a subject that is whispered about in minority communities but is often discussed openly in other ethnic groups. Bankruptcy in most cases helps folks who have no way out of a really bad financial situation.
TD Royal Enterprises, LLC Company Overview:
This straight talk book about bankruptcy and the lessons learned was a God ordered process. Theresa, an entrepreneur specializing in event planning, was forced to file bankruptcy in 2006 due to her putting her trust in one client, and not putting her trust in God. She had good credit all of her life but due to the unethical practices of this client, her finances spun out of control.
In addition, she had never been late on her mortgage payments until her income was abruptly cut off. Even though she tried to work out a forbearance with the mortgage company, they accelerated the foreclosure process and she found herself in a situation where her home was about to be auctioned off within a very short period of time. After many phone calls for help from so-called friends and family, the last option was to file bankruptcy to save her home.
Theresa D. Royal, who holds a degree in Small Business Management from Central Pennsylvania College, dispels the myths that everyone who files for bankruptcy has bad credit or is just trying to get out of paying their debts. Bankruptcy “Ain’t” Broke will give a true account about the struggles of bankruptcy and addresses this taboo subject, especially in the African American and Latino communities. It's a subject that is often whispered about in minority communities but is discussed openly in other ethnic groups. Bankruptcy in most cases can help those who have no way out of a really bad financial situation.
She is also the owner of TD Royal Enterprises, LLC, the holding company for her book publishing, event planning, real estate investing and other business ventures she is pursuing, and is the President and CEO of Entrepreneurs and Professionals Network (EPNET), an organization that encourages individuals, especially minorities, to pursue their passion of owning their own businesses. She plans to educate others about bankruptcy and will release a second book in the near future.
This straight talk book about bankruptcy and the lessons learned was a God ordered process. Theresa, an entrepreneur specializing in event planning, was forced to file bankruptcy in 2006 due to her putting her trust in one client, and not putting her trust in God. She had good credit all of her life but due to the unethical practices of this client, her finances spun out of control.
Share
with us your news, events and articles. If
you would like to submit articles for the Black Pearls Magazine, please check
out our editorial calendar and send in your stories at least 2 weeks prior to
the deadlines. You can post to any topics designated for that month. Edit your
work well and share it! Read the submission
guidelines here.
Your
submissions to EDC Creations signifies that you agree to our terms and policies.
We also accept book excerpts, reader's guides and audio interviews.
Seeking
Book Reviewers EDC
Creations seeks to add avid readers to our community as book reviewers. We would
like readers to share their honest opinions about the books they read. You do
not have to be a professional writer, we want to feel your passion for reading.
Reviewers receive books from EDC Creations’ publishing partners monthly.
You can review our policy for book reviewers by
clicking here. Email Ella Curry for more details at: edc_dg@yahoo.com
---
Seeking
Book Club Interviews Ella
Curry and EDC Creations celebrates the rise of book clubs in the publishing
industry. We host monthly tributes and parties for our featured book clubs. You
too can become a Black Pearls Bookclub Star! Request that your book club obtain
a interview and receive a gift bag of books!
Your book club and network of friends are invited to check all the great authors
in the Bookclub Reading Room and to explore
the magazine for your next featured book of the month. Email Ella Curry for more
details or to request the interview questions at: edc_dg@yahoo.com
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Seeking
Blog Tour Hosts
and Radio Hosts Each
month EDC Creations hosts a tour of 5 wonderful authors. We travel across the
web sharing our message of Give the Gift of Knowledge. We are now seeking
bloggers, book clubs and book lovers to host the authors on their websites,
blogs or radio shows. If you would like to feature authors on your website or
blog, we provide all the material for you. It's as simple as emailing us your
interest.
We
will hold live readings weekly and would like for readers to share the news on
Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. Gather 5 or more friends and meet us for an
online party! We promote great books via the phone, Skype and the web. Great
benefits available for tour hosts. Email Ella Curry for more details on joining
the tours at: edc_dg@yahoo.com
Please take a moment to view our previous tour
hosts here.
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Business
Interviews Requested Do
you have a great business that serves our community? Tell Black Pearls Magazine
about it! We are seeking community leader interviews. We showcase 5 business
owners per month. Email Ella Curry for more details at: edc_dg@yahoo.com
The
Black Pearls Magazine family wants to take the time to thank each of you for
joining us monthly in celebrating the best in literature and the arts. Our
team of writers, bookclubs and authors are so humbled that you have allowed us
entrance into your life. It amazes me each month as I check our subscribers how
many of you deem us worthy of your time and support. We appreciate
each of you for telling 10 people about the magazine and for driving people to
this site. YOU make Black Pearls the magnificent publication that it is, by
sharing the gift of knowledge!
Please
know, as we prepare each issue for you, we look for those stimulating
conversations, the most thought provoking articles and most of all the best
books on the shelves. We want each page of this magazine to add value to your
lives! Your comments and feedback are welcomed. Join our
blog and share your news, advice and wisdom with the other readers. Tell us
what you want to read too!
As we take off in this new decade we hope to bring you more provocative topics
and life empowering books to shape your lives. We have contests for the readers
and more interactive sections added to the magazine. Let us know what you think
of the fresh new content by emailing
us here. Thank you! Ella Curry, President of EDC Creations
Founder & Editor In Chief Black Pearls Magazine
BPM: Dahlma, introduce us to your main characters in Daughters of the Stone.
In recent years, the ebook publishing market, which has literally exploded in the secular world, is also rapidly becoming an emerging Christian book market. While recent trend of ebook sales may have seen intermittent decline at specific quarters within the past years, ebook sales have also during other quarters reported dramatic increases (1) and experts are still optimistic that ebooks are the future direction; that is in the long run. Some analysts have suggested that any decline of ebook sales seen this year may be attributed to the flooding of the ebook secular market with many low quality materials; this is pretty obvious and one does not need to be an expert to observe this. Others have suggested that much of the information that many ebooks offer are easily obtainable at no cost on the Internet (2); that is with a little focused search on the Internet.
It
was quiet in the room. The sun, closing on the day, was sending her
warmth and comfortable colors through the Venetian blinds. Bewitching,
charming and divine, soft in its touch, enchanting like a rainbow...my eyes
danced with the colors as they turned...and I knew that twilight would soon
have his due.
Reorganized Priorities is a story about heart break, forgiveness, and
unconditional love between a daughter and her estranged father. When they
realize that life is all too fleeting, they reunite, creating a bond strong
than ever, because in the end, family is all anyone really has. This is a
story about the importance of family, and realizing that no matter what
differences you may have, you have to stick together. 
"Who's
your daddy?" In another era this would have been considered an
actual question. In today's language it's considered a colloquial phrase. For
those of us who don't study the dictionary, just think conversational or even
slang. Back to the topic though, "who's your daddy?"
Last
year was a landmark year for Sharon R. Wells. One year ago she created a
business called Angel Wings Publications, LLC, and a website designed to
empower and educate victims who suffer a wide range of repercussions resulting
from sexual abuse. 
Further
information about Sharon R. Wells, her website and "Without
Permission" is available online at 
When people talk about making resolutions for the new year, it usually involves quitting or losing something or someone. For example, millions of people will resolve to quit smoking and twice as many more will promise to lose weight. Beginning
the new year, we will be saturated with television and print ad campaigns for gym memberships, weight loss program and equipment deals as well as products to help with nicotine addiction. 
Just
as liquids are important to flush toxins from your system as you diet, a similar
approach can trim the bulge in your budget. Americans have been bingeing on debt
and according to the Federal Reserve Board have racked up more than 2.26 billion
dollars in consumer debt. 
Join me in welcoming author Valencia Campbell to the family. 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. 
2. Get out of debt – owe no man anything!
Small
changes add up quickly. Don’t let bad money habits wreck your marriage.
You’ve got to both be committed to this goal if you’re going to make it
happen. 
A little shy girl who grew into a woman with dreams and a voice to be heard
Finally, a straight talk book about bankruptcy through the eyes of a regular person. This is not a rags to riches story. This is a true life account of the emotional ups and downs of filing bankruptcy and putting the pieces back together through lessons learned.
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