Desperate Housewife by Cydney Rax
Carmen Foster thinks she has it all—a perfect house, kids, and
marriage. Until she stumbles upon racy texts from her husband,
Forrest, to his baby mama, Toni—who desperately wants Forrest
back. Carmen is devastated and decides she can forgive Forrest
if she just has an affair of her own. But when a scheming Toni
gets involved and threatens to reveal Carmen’s secret, revenge
takes an unexpected and explosive turn…
Sinful by Niobia Bryant
A psychologist specializing in addiction, Brie Bailey is
surprised to find that her work is affecting her personal life
in unexpected ways. For the first time, she has something to
hide. And when her impulsive actions lead her into a web of
danger, Brie finds herself losing control of everything…
L.A. Confidential by Grace Octavia
Stevie Silver, Black Hollywood’s sitcom sweetheart, is in for a
run of very bad luck. Her conniving assistant, Kristine, has her
sights on Stevie’s career—and on her T.V. producer husband.
Kristine will do whatever it takes to win, from blackmail to
seduction. But when a series of lies and betrayals comes to a
head in the canyons behind the Hollywood sign, more than stardom
is at stake…
What happens when beautiful, twenty-year-old petty thief and
ex-stripper Mink LaRue finds out she’s a dead ringer for the
age-progressed photo of the missing oil heiress Sable Dominion?
Harlem-born Mink LaRue makes a
beeline to Dallas, Texas, pretending to be the Dominions’
long-lost daughter, Sable. She knows she’s hit the jackpot when
she and her super ghetto partner in crime, Bowlegged Bunni, are
admitted into the Dominions’ 20-room mansion, complete with all
the trimmings of a luxurious family estate. But it’s not long
before Mink’s newfound siblings grow suspicious of the ghetto
princess, who has a rap sheet a mile long. If Mink is to worm
her way into their pockets and get her hands on their dough,
then she must tell enough lies to convince everyone that she
really is the precious daughter who was stolen from their fold.
But with a DNA test standing between her and a hefty
inheritance, how long can Mink’s bag of lies keep her rolling in
the Dominions’ riches?
“Noire is a force to be reckoned with in the urban erotic
genre.” —Urban Reviews
Essence® Bestselling Author, NOIRE
“Urban Erotica has never been
hotter!” —Nikki Turner
“Noire is Dickens for the age of dojah, donuts and dawgs.”
—Publishers Weekly
Ada Howard, the wife of the
preacher at Nashville’s Full Love Baptist Tabernacle, has a
whole lot of people to take care of. There’s her husband, of
course, and the flock that comes with him, plus the kids at the
day care where she works, two grown daughters, and two ailing
parents. It’s no wonder she can’t find time to take care of
herself. And her husband’s been so busy lately, she’s suspicious
some other woman may be taking care of him . . .
Then it comes: the announcement of her twenty-five-year college
reunion in twelve months’ time, signed with a wink by her old
flame. Ada gets to thinking about the thrills of young love
lost, and the hundred or so pounds gained since her college
days, and she decides it’s high time for a health and beauty
revival. So she starts laying down some rules. The first rule
is: Don’t Keep Doing What You’ve Always Been Doing. And so
begins a long journey toward a new look and a new perspective—on
what she wants, and on what she’s always had.
“Ada’s Rules is a novel for anyone who has ever wanted to take
control of her life. With loveable characters, whip-smart
dialogue, and a plot that will leave you breathless, Alice
Randall has written a story about how we really live. There is
love on these pages— tough love, but tender at the same time.” —Tayari
Jones, author of Silver Sparrow
“Ada’s Rules might be a diet book disguised as a novel, and it
might be a novel disguised as a diet book, but I guarantee it
will make you laugh and make you think, while it nudges you
oh-so-gently in the direction of a brand new way to think about
and celebrate your body.” —Pearl Cleage, author of What Looks
Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day
The #1 Queen of Street Lit WAHIDA CLARK delivers the latest
installment in her best-selling series PAYBACK AIN’T ENOUGH
Filled with the same glamour, sex and danger, we dive back into the
hip-hop drama where old rivalries and new beefs arise in Detroit’s
blood-drenched drug turf. Shan is now married to Briggen, the much
desired former hustler turned legitimate businessman. With one child
and another on the way, Shan’s life is about to get turned upside
down. In a day she’ll go from being the envy of the streets to
having her life on the line.
Briggen, a man leading a double life, wants to know who killed his
brother, Forever. He wants revenge but it’s only a matter of time
before Briggen’s own lies catch up with him. Nick is back in the big
‘D’ and ready to take over the game. The only thing standing in his
way is a buried secret from his past that is about to come back to
haunt him. It’s only a matter of time before ambitions and secrets
collide and revenge goes a step too far. In this game of power and
intrigue where the stakes are high and the rewards are dazzling, the
losers are gonna discover – there’s always a price to pay.
After nine and a half years in federal prison and ten months in the
hole, New York Times bestselling author, Wahida Clark, has truly
earned her place among the greatest in urban fiction.
Steady Schemin' Harlem honeys Apple and Kola are back and cutthroat as ever,
and serving The City That Never Sleeps with a wakeup call. Now
permanently disfigured, the once beautiful Apple's future isn't
looking bright as the empire she worked so hard to build begins
to crumble, brick by brick.
The tables are turned, and Apple finds out that the ultimate
betrayal cuts that much deeper when it's perpetrated by blood.
Meanwhile, Kola is lying in wait for Queen Apple to be
dethroned. She stacks her paper and assembles her plan to take
her twin out once and for all. But Apple isn't bowing out
gracefully.
“A great new taste in the literary
world.” —Carl Weber
Lutishia Lovely cooks up a riveting portrait of a trailblazing
family expanding their booming soul food dynasty.
After a long bout of misfortune, betrayal, and broken hearts,
the Livingstons and their soul food empire are thriving.
Toussaint Livingston is the Food Network darling, Malcolm
Livingston’s BBQ Soul Smoker is still the toast of QVC, and
Bianca Livingston’s brainchild TOSTS—Taste Of Soul Tapas
Style—is a sizzling sensation on L.A.’s Sunset Strip. It seems
that nothing can stop the progress of this third
generation—until a dish called trouble gets added to the menu.
Jefferson Livingston is the only sibling who feels he hasn’t
made his mark, a fact for which he partly blames Toussaint. But
with a recent promotion and a sexy new assistant, Jefferson is
ready to show his cousin just how big a mistake he made. Then a
fire breaks out, an old enemy rears his ugly head, and a
stranger threatens the family’s legacy. Jefferson and Toussaint
must now work together to keep the dynasty from falling apart.
Can they put their differences aside long enough to take care of
business? There’s only one way to find out.
It’s a town of heartthrobs, drama queens, and bullies. Now two
teens who are new to LA are about to get a crash course in it
all—and learn that getting the guy isn’t always what it’s
cracked up to be.
Kassidy Maddox has everything—beauty, brains, and confidence to
spare. Fresh off the New York A-list, she knows what she wants:
Brent, Romero, and Carsen, three extremely fine, must-have boys.
And she isn’t about to choose between them—until she meets
Diggs. He’s a hot property—and he doesn’t like to share. Will
Kassidy finally have to give up the spotlight?
Jacobi Swanson is a late bloomer with a major crush on two guys.
There’s Shooby from the old neighborhood, the guy she can’t let
go of and, seemingly, can’t have, and then there’s Malone, the
guy next door who’s got a serious case of the perfects—perfectly
popular, perfectly smart, and perfectly rich. Determined to
break out of her shell and into the heart of the guy who’s right
for her, Jacobi turns to Kassidy for beauty and boy tips. But
when Jacobi finally captures the right one’s attention, she’ll
have to figure out whether he’s for real—along with everything
else in La-La Land.
“An amazing tale that is sure to delight, teach, and intrigue
teens everywhere!” —Ni-Ni Simone on Boyfriend Season
“Keep your eyes on Sasha
Campbell!” —Brenda Hampton, author of the Naughty series
Learning to trust can be the hardest lesson of all…
Newly divorced single mom Monica Houston needs to find a job.
When her best friend suggests she answer an ad seeking exotic
dancers, they both laugh. But with no work in sight, it’s no
joke. Soon, Monica is dancing at Scandalous, and the money is
flowing. But to hold on to her children, and her heart, she’ll
have to keep it a secret from both her ex and her new man. Too
bad someone in her life has other ideas.
The baddest dancer at Scandalous, Robin Douglas a.k.a. Treasure
lives for herself and trusts no one. The last thing she wants is
to take in her estranged sister Deena’s little boy, Kyle. But
with Deena arrested for murder, she has no choice. There’s just
one condition: Kyle’s hot, “big brother” Trey has to babysit.
With a man and a child in her life, Treasure’s heart opens. Soon
she’s in love—and determined to prove Deena’s innocence—though
it means the greatest risk of all.
“These characters leap off the page and make you want to join
in.” —Lutishia Lovely on Confessions
“Drama, drama and more drama! It’s a good juicy read you won’t
want to put down.” —RT Book Reviews on Confessions
"Why does God keep
taking away the people I love?"
This is the
lamentation of widow CANDACE JOHNSON when her best friend is brutally
murdered. Ensnared by a deep-rooted bitterness, seeping her faith day by
day, Candace is determined to seek justice.
Detective Darnell
Jackson is in need of clues fast. The police captain is coming down hard
on him and his partner to find out who murdered Pamela Coleman, the
daughter of a high profile judge. Darnell confers with Candace to get
the inside track on events leading up to the murder. As the
investigation heats up, his growing attraction for Candace plays havoc
on Darnell’s judgment.
Little does she know,
Candace’s quest to find the truth has led her straight to the killer.
She’s already lost loved ones. Now Candace must choose to completely
trust God with her own life.
BIO
Tyora Moody's debut
novel, When Rain Falls, is the first book in the Victory Gospel series.
She owns and operates Tywebbin.com, a design and marketing company. Her
company's niche is assisting authors with branding and developing an
online presence. Tyora served as a judge for the Christy Awards for
three years. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian
Fiction Writers. Tyora resides in South Carolina. Visit her online at
http://www.tyoramoody.com
Acquitted of murder, Tamia Luke is on a mission to reclaim all she’s
lost, including her ex, Brandon, who saved her life. Brandon’s about to
get married, but Tamia’s determined, even if it means resorting to
deception—a family habit. Her sister, Fiona, betrayed Tamia to save her
own skin. Now the two share a scandalous secret that may destroy both
their plans to start over…
Fiona’s hoping her new job will help her score a rich husband. It’s
looking good, until the night she’s seduced by the one man who is truly
unattainable. And both sisters will have to steer clear of someone who
knows too much, and wants them to pay—with their lives…
Praise for Naomi Chase’s Exposed
“An ultra-sexy page-turner.” --De’nesha Diamond, author of Street Divas
“Sexy, scandalous, and suspenseful. I enjoyed the drama-filled ride and
didn’t want it to end.” --Meesha Mink, author of Real Wifeys: Get Money
Atlanta reporter Toni Shields will do
whatever it takes to get a good story. So when she’s arrested for
sneaking around the mayor’s house, she’s prepared. What she’s not
prepared for is getting demoted—or her run-in with stubborn Adam Bayne,
director of the local young men’s rehab center…
The first time Adam saw Toni, she was wrangling with the cops. Now she’s
looking for a scoop at Jacob House. Adam has no intention of letting her
near his boys—yet as usual, her pushiness wins. And when she genuinely
helps a teen in trouble, Adam sees a side of her that cares about more
than just a headline. Soon, they become close—their attraction growing.
But there’s more to both their lives than meets the eye. Toni has a
haunting family secret, one that is taking a great toll on her. And when
she uncovers that Adam has a devastating past of his own, not only their
relationship, but their futures, and their faith, lie in the balance.
Praise for Man Enough for Me
“A sweet Christian romance.” –Publishers Weekly
“Enough drama, romance, and faith that keeps you turning pages.”
--Tiffany L. Warren, Essence® bestselling author
Sunday Tolliver has a mega-smash album up for major awards—and her first
few months as a college freshman are everything she hoped for. But
juggling all this and her long-distance romance with boyfriend Sam is
taking drama to mad-crazy levels. Hot up-and-coming video star DeShawn
isn’t letting Sunday’s relationship keep him from getting close. And
relentless online gossip is seriously shaking Sunday’s trust in Sam. On
top of that, her jealous diva cousin, Dreya, just won’t stay out of
Sunday’s face—especially now that she’s in the running for the same
music awards. The only way Sunday can stop the madness and get back on
track is to trust her instincts--and get a little help from her friends…
Praise for Nikki Carter
“…plenty of reality show-type drama.” --Romantic Times on Doing My Own
Thing
“Nikki Carter is a fresh, new voice.” --ReShonda Tate Billingsley,
Essence® bestselling author
Anthony’s debut best-seller, Cookie Cutter, introduced protagonist,
Lieutenant “Bloody” Mary Cunningham, of the Detroit homicide unit. Mary
returns in the sequel, Kosher Kill, wherein she has to solve a series of
murders. Each victim is murdered in the same manner; however, it’s
anything but obvious why that particular signature and what it says
about the killer’s motives and possible future victims. And, once again,
Anthony creates a serial killer who’s complex and compelling, rather
than one built on the stereotype of the mindlessly bloodthirsty killer.
There are themes and sub-plots, all related, and Anthony nicely ties
them together. Not content to stop there, he supplies various twists and
surprises. Overall, the plotting is tight and care has to be taken in
providing specifics, lest they serve as spoilers, however, here are a
few: breast cancer; suffering and dying; assisted-suicide; civil rights;
religion; and, courtroom drama. That’s a motley list of ingredients, but
Anthony cooks them into a reader’s feast.
Kosher Kill—almost 500 pages—is longer than its predecessor. Even so,
it’s an entertaining, fast read because the pacing never drags. The
reader is inserted into the middle of events at the beginning of each
chapter, challenged by pertinent information, and then whisked to the
next chapter, all the way to the climax, one that’s not easily predicted
but nonetheless believable and satisfying.
Sterling Anthony is a management consultant and a former university
instructor. His first novel was Cookie Cutter, with protagonist,
Lieutenant "Bloody" Mary Cunningham, of the Detroit homicide unit, and
it made a number of best-seller lists. Anthony returned Mary in his
second novel, Kosher Kill, which was the February 2012 featured title of
Myst Noir, the website devoted to suspense novels written by
African-American authors. For his next novel, Anthony plans to enter the
horror genre.
Tracey Robbins has it all: beauty, money, successful business and a
closet a girl would kill for. St. Louis is her playground as everybody
who wants to be somebody tries desperately to be in her circle. However,
living the young, black and privileged life comes with perks that could
turn the purest hearts wicked, just for a chance to be like her. The
unannounced arrival of Tez, a sexy seemingly no good thug, sends her
life in a downward spiral that no one saw coming. Soon after, she finds
herself the center of a devious plan to ruin her life. Betrayal runs
deep as the people the closest to her begin to show their true colors.
With her back against the wall, she finds love in an unlikely pair of
arms. Will that love be enough to save her, or will she remain lost in
the pursuit of wealth?
BIO
ChrisRenee was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. Early on she had hopes
of becoming a journalist with emphasis in entertainment. However, after
becoming a teenage mother, she selflessly put her own dreams aside to
raise her young family. After years of working in the field of medical
insurance she had considered that dream as a distant memory. It wasn't
until she was introduced into the world of blogging did she re-ignite
her passion for writing. After building a huge fan base on several blogs
she decided to transform one of the popular blogs into a book.
She currently still resides in the St. Louis area with her family where
she is writing for Delux Magazine and currently working on her second
fictional novel as well as a motivational book for teenage mothers.
She's back, and this time it's all about revenge.
Tall, dark, and handsome bestselling male author Xavier Preston thought
his nightmare—in the form of Pilar, a fanatical stalker/fan—had finally
ended. Little does he know it’s only beginning.
When Xavier met Pilar, he got much more than he bargained for. What
started out as an erotic one-night stand quickly turned into a dangerous
game of obsession and pain, with both parties playing to win. Then she
simply disappeared.
Stunning Pilar hasn't gone away, though. In fact, she has been very
near, watching his every move and patiently waiting for him to realize
they were meant to be together forever. She still believes they’re soul
mates, and the only option for her is “Until death do us part.” If she
can't have Xavier, then no one can. Now no one is safe—not his friends,
and definitely not him.
The Jamieson Family Legacy series follows the lives of the two Jamieson
brothers in Boston, Kidd and Ace and their cousin Cameron from St.
Louis. Kidd, the older brother, has anger issues while, Ace, is a
ladies’ man. Their highly educated MIT graduate cousin, Cameron
Jamieson, is all about saving his family from self-destruction.
In the background of the story of these three Jamieson men is the bonus
storyline which progresses the story of the much-loved Grandma B.B. from
author Pat Simmons’ previous Guilty books. Grandma BB isn’t alone in
this new series, she has a new sidekick, Mrs. Valentine.
Guilty by Association is the story of Kevin, “Kidd” Jamieson. He is
struggling with anger and resentment issues toward his absentee father
who never married his mother but had the audacity to demand his
illegitimate sons carry his last name. Kidd’s anger seeps into every
area of his life as he disregards the legacy of the Jamieson name.
Through genealogical research, Kidd’s distant cousin Cameron has a plan
to show Kidd and his brother their worth as eleventh-generation
descendants of a royal African tribe. Also, to give them choices to
either be angry or accept the challenge of becoming strong, successful
black men.
When Kidd receives an invitation from Cameron’s older brother, Parke to
come to St. Louis for work, he is hesitant but accepts because his
mother wants a better life for him. Initially, he bumps heads with Parke
but when a series of events along with a major love interest with Eva
Savoy take place, Kidd’s raging storm is challenged.
He is determined to keep his bad boy attitude and hatred for the
Jamieson name. Will this destroy him or will love and legacy turn his
world upside down?
Ruth was torn from her mother at thirteen. Since that time she has paid
the price for being beautiful and strong. Sold and purchased for
breeding to increase her master’s slave stock, Ruth’s heart had grown
bitter and she had become a proud and defiant slave. This was evident as
she stood on the auction block and refusing to comply with the demands
of those who wanted to check her out and make sure she was worth the
price attached to her. Numb to the lashings received, all Ruth wanted
was to be free.
Bo, an ex-slave was an educated and God fearing man was given his own
farm In Tidewater after being freed. In addition to being a farm he was
also a slave buyer. When he saw Ruth on the auction block he was shaken
as she proudly refused to obey instructions and was rewarded for her
disobedience each time. The price for her was pretty steep and Bo was
not sure he could pay this time.
In the background, Nat Turner, the self-proclaimed prophet and preacher
had grown restless with slavery and began his campaign for freedom,
inciting slaves to fight for freedom. When Nat meets Bo it is evident
that they both want the same thing but have opposing methods as to how
to get it.
Set in the 1800’s this pre-civil war novel show the lives of slaves and
free blacks in pre-civil war America. It specifically engages the
stories of three hearts set on freedom: Two men who take very different
paths in their pursuit; And, one woman struggles to understand what it
truly means to be free. A gripping slave era novel, Ruth’s Redemption is
a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption.
ERIN…
After having my heart broken by my ex, I was all about
friends-with-benefits and having a good time. The last thing I wanted
was something heavy with my new neighbor, Joel. So my roommate Kenya and
I decided to have a little fun with him. But Joel’s sensual, romantic
side is sparking a hunger in me for something much more than sex with no
strings attached…
KENYA…
With all the players out there, Erin and I always joked that if either
of us ever found a good man we’d share him. And that’s exactly what we
did when Erin told me about Joel’s skills in the bedroom. The only
problem now is that I want him to myself…
AND JOEL…
I thought Erin was the only woman for me. But her friend Kenya was just
as appealing. When they proposed that we become a threesome, my hottest
fantasy became reality. And before I knew what was happening, I found
myself falling hard—for both of them.
“An erotic tale with a bit of a twist… For a fun, sensual book with an
added flair, this is one to get.” —The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
ALEX HAIRSTON was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a former
U.S. Naval Hospital Corpsman and a graduate of the Johnston School of
Practical Nursing. Alex is the author of the novels She Creeps, If Only
You Knew, and Love Don’t Come Easy. He resides in Randallstown,
Maryland, with his wife and three kids.
Some secrets set you free. Some destroy
your world.
After six years of marriage, Victoria and Ted are the ultimate power
couple. She’s a beautiful, business savvy sister who owns one of
Atlanta’s hottest event planning companies. He’s a blue-eyed CEO who
knows how to take care of business in and out of the boardroom. But
their happy life quickly begins to unravel when long held desires and
decades-old secrets come back to haunt them.
It starts when Parker Brightwood re-enters Victoria’s life. She thought
she’d gotten over the handsome surgeon who once stole her heart, but
unusual circumstances bring the ebony prince back on the scene—and this
time he’s determined to win her at any cost. Ted’s undoing begins with
his mother’s sudden death and a mysterious secret—one that will lead to
a truth so shocking it threatens the life and marriage he holds dear.
Facing a road filled with uncertainty, Victoria and Ted must confront
their deepest, most hidden fears. Can they repair the damage done by
secrets and lies before it’s too late?
Praise for Trice Hickman’s Unexpected Interruptions
“Hickman hits all the high notes in this charming modern romance where
love and loyalty trump race.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“There’s a good dose of humor and steamy romance that makes this novel
soar.”—Urban Reviews
New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable
tale featuring the rebellious early years of Mama Ruby, the indomitable
heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room.
Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of
girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she’s
fifteen, Ruby has a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and not even
her preacher daddy can set her straight. Only Othella Mae Cartier,
daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick.
When Ruby discovers she’s in the family way, she’s scared for the first
time in her life. After hiding her growing belly, Ruby secretly gives
birth to a baby girl at Othella’s house. Othella talks Ruby into giving
the child away—and with the help of a shocking revelation, convinces
Ruby to run off with her to New Orleans.
But nothing can erase Ruby’s memories of her child—or quell her
simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby
go. Someday there will be a reckoning. And Othella will learn that no
one knows how to exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw…
MARY MONROE, the daughter of sharecroppers, is the author of the
award-winning and New York Times bestselling God series that includes
God Don’t Like Ugly and God Ain’t Blind, among other novels. The winner
of the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award, Mary Monroe currently lives in
Oakland, California, and loves to hear from her readers via e-mail at
AuthorAuthor5409@aol.com.
They say good men are hard to find,
and there aren't any more out there. Maybe you are one of those lucky
women who have actually been able to lock down a Good Man. Initially,
that was great news, but now you're finding that a Good Man is a lot
more trouble than he's worth. I mean really, who wants to put up with a
Good Man every single day? Sheesh!
If you have been scratching your head trying to figure out ways to get
rid of your Good Man, help has arrived! I, Lady Bee have compiled for
you 101 very effective and easy-to-implement strategies that are
guaranteed to get rid of your Good Man. The best part is NONE of the
strategies require you to cheat on your Good Man, or even come close to
being in a compromising position.
While these strategies are randomly listed, you will find that they
cover a number of categories such as family, sex, money, respect, home
interaction, and involving other people. This will allow you to tailor
your strategy to lose your Good Man to one that will work best for you
and your situation.
It is important that you realize that utilizing only a handful of these
strategies will produce lackluster results, even though some are very
powerful when used alone (for example, see Number 75). However, if you
really want to lose your Good Man, you must put several of them in
action at the same time. Implementing just a small handful of them isn't
going to cut it; grab the bull by the horns and make your Good Man leave
you! I guarantee that if you use these strategies as outlined, your Good
Man will be gone before you know it. If he doesn't leave you, he will at
least cheat on you, then you can blame the failure of your relationship
all on him and take none of the responsibility (see Number 55).
As you read, you may find that you are already doing some of these
actions without realizing the impact that you are making. If so, you
have unknowingly already started the process of making your Good Man
leave you. Your Good Man might be packing his bags right now.
Congratulations! For the rest of you ladies, read on.
Here's to losing a Good Man (so that another woman can snatch him up),
“I absolutely love Vanessa’s unique writing style. She is one of a
kind.” —Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author
When one woman is caught in the act of her greatest transgression, it’s
the beginning of her greatest transformation…
It started innocently: a coincidental meeting between old high school
friends—first loves—at Butterfly’s business, The Painted Lady Flower
Shop. Then came lunch, then confessions of unhappy marriages,
loneliness. It went on that way for years between Butterfly and Ethan.
That’s how they built the soul tie—the bond that, despite their devotion
to God, has now led to adultery. And as with all things done in secret,
they’ve been found out. Well, Butterfly has.
As a leader in her church, Butterfly is suddenly cast into the
spotlight. But she soon realizes she’s being used as a pawn to bring
down a new pastor—a young man who is upsetting tradition by preaching
about real-life issues real people deal with. People like Butterfly. And
as she faces a challenging search for truth, forgiveness, and the real
meaning of love, she may finally break out of her cocoon…
“There are enough tears, hugs, and lessons learned before summer's over
to appease readers, young and adult, who like a good dose of faith with
their fiction.” —Publishers Weekly on Ray of Hope
“Griggs address[es] the challenges of living by Biblical rules with
homespun humor. Fans will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly on The Truth
Is the Light
“A smart novel that addresses an issue that many in the church shy away
from—divorce—with frank realism.”—Library Journal on Practicing What You
Preach
“Vanessa’s rich stories of faith in action always hit the writing
trifecta—they make you laugh, cry, and yearn for more.” —Angela Benson,
National bestselling author
New York Times bestselling author Carl
Weber takes readers back to church, where preaching isn’t always enough,
nothing goes better with the Word than a song—and it’s time for some
hard-earned lessons in love, brotherhood, and betrayal.
Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries
a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal,
attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection
plates, Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic
Aaron Mackie, to revive the church.
Aaron Mackie had been waiting his entire life for the opportunity to
prove that he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director like
Kirk Franklin. But while Aaron is more than up to the challenge, his
ways around women, both past and present, could cost him more than his
job.
Simone Wilcox is just one of the women who’s caught Aaron’s attention.
She’s smart, beautiful and sexy, along with being a highly respected
church trustee. She’s got her eye on the new choir director, with the
intention of having a lot more on him, and she doesn’t plan on letting
anyone get in her way.
First Lady Monique Wilson is far from being the typical first lady. She
does and says what she wants, and doesn’t subscribe to church politics.
Despite her shortcomings and a past rumored to include a long list of
men, she’s willing to do just about anything to protect the Bishop.
The members of First Jamaica Ministries are also keeping the Bishop busy
with choir in-fighting, romantic jealousies, and personal vendettas.
You’d think the Bishop was being tested enough, but a final piece of the
puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church
blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for
comfort. . . .
CARL WEBER is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
novels and short stories. A life-long reader, Weber wanted to write
stories about ordinary people who have crazy things happen in their
lives. Now, when he’s not connecting with readers through his books and
his two book store chains, Urban Knowledge and Beach Reads, Weber is
finding new talent for his publishing company, Urban Books. He graduated
from Virginia State University with a bachelor’s in accounting and has
an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia. Readers can visit
Carl’s website, www.carlweber.net, and e-mail him at
urbanbooks@hotmail.com.
The Waverly Girls Group Home is supposed to be a place where troubled
teens come for reform. But Jazzy, Cha Cha, and Maya have different
plans. Though the three girls hail from three different cities, they've
had amazingly similar hard knock lives, and the thread that holds them
together is their love of money.
Soon, these sheisty chicks are backsliding into a life of fraud,
boosting, and hustling within the walls of Waverly. Their money is on
point, and they're enjoying the good life until a new girl stands in
their way by going against the grain. That is, until she turns up dead.
BIO
Sheisty Chicks is authoress Kim K's debut novel, which was released
December 2011 by Melodrama Publishing. The author states that the book
was inspired by real-life events, snapshots taken from her years as a
child in and out of the New York City foster system. At sixteen, Kim was
tossed into a group home by a judge for allegedly pulling out a weapon
on a neighborhood bully. Now, at twenty years old, she's reformed, in
college and working on an Associate Degree in Journalism. Kim feels her
missteps in her past have positively shaped her future.
Zaria is back and more ruthless than ever in this sequel to One Night
Stand. Part 2 of this series holds nothing back as she navigates through
this back-stabbing, cold world. On the run, Zaria first has to develop a
street-savvy mentality and then uses her body and new look to survive
the rough streets of Philadelphia, PA. Convinced that all men are dogs
and responsible for ruining her life, she holds a deep hatred inside,
but lives in the lapse of luxury behind the gates of a wealthy man’s
home. Zaria quickly transforms into survival mode, and plays the sexy
newcomer into her web of deceit. A note to every man on earth...Zaria is
unstoppable and searching for you!
“Diamond
tells it
like it
is.”
—Publishers
Weekly
In
De’nesha
Diamond’s
explosive
series,
the
fiercest
ride-or-die
chicks
in
Memphis
are
battling
alongside—and
against—their
ruthless
men, to
be the
last
diva
standing
...
On these
Dirty
South
streets,
revenge
is sweet
opportunity.
Now the
women
who help
rule the
hood are
out to
take
ultimate
control.
Merciless
lieutenant
Lucifer
drops as
many
bodies
as she
can to
avenge a
devastating
shooting
and
consolidate
her new
power.
Loyal
gang
member
Essence
discovers
friendship
has
lethal
limits
when she
falls
for her
best
friend’s
man.
Ever-ambitious
Yolanda
is
angling
hard to
go from
a king
hustler’s
baby
mama to
his one
and
only.
But
Queen G
LeShelle
will
betray
any
trust
and take
out any
obstacle
to make
the game
hers
alone.
And when
these
four
women
push
their
vendettas
past the
point of
no
return,
it’s a
war only
the most
deadly
diva
will
survive
…
Praise
for
Hustlin’
Divas
“A
nonstop,
hard-hitting
page-turner.”
—Tu-Shonda
L.
Whitaker
“Diamond’s
ear for
street
talk
comes
across
loud and
clear …
a
violent
and
profane
tale,
which
launches
a gritty
new
series.
The
divas
here are
realistic
characters,
and the
pacing
zooms .
. . one
of the
best
constructed
street
lit
stories
of
2010.”
—Library
Journal
National
bestselling
author
DE’NESHA
DIAMOND
burst
onto the
scene as
the
co-author
of the
gritty
Desperate
Hoodwives
tales.
The
Essence®
magazine
recommended
series
has
taken
the
street-lit
game by
storm
and
paved a
brand-new
path for
the edgy
Memphis
native.
Understanding
that
there is
a fine
line
between
glorifying
thug
life and
telling
it like
it is,
De’nesha
Diamond
spins
cautionary
tales
inspired
by
personal
experience
and the
heartbreaking
stories
that
make our
nightly
news. In
the end,
she aims
to
deliver
hope,
even if
sometimes
there
are no
rides in
the
golden
sunset.
Visit
De’nesha
online
at
www.DeneshaDiamond.com.
“Octavia
pens a
great
tale.”--The
RAWSISTAZ
Reviewers
Essence®
Bestselling
Author
When
your
dreams
come
crashing
down,
what’s
next? In
Essence®
bestselling
author
Grace
Octavia’s
moving
new
novel,
one
woman
must
begin
again
when
betrayal
shatters
the life
she
knew…
Dawn
Johnson’s
sorority
sisters
thought
she made
a big
mistake
marrying
blue-collar
Reginald.
But
thanks
to hard
work and
belief
in each
other,
Dawn and
Reginald
left the
big city
and made
their
own
happiness,
complete
with a
comfortable
home and
two
lively
children.
Dawn
can’t
wait to
show
everyone
just how
perfect
her
choices
were—especially
when her
mega-successful
best
friend,
Sasha,
shows up
to
visit.
But she
never
expected
Sasha
would
like
Reginald
so much
she’d
steal
him for
herself…or
that
Reginald
would
see
Sasha as
a second
chance
to
pursue
hopes he
never
fulfilled.
With her
perfect
life now
in
shambles,
Dawn
will do
whatever
it takes
to
regain
what
she’s
lost.
But the
road
back
will
mean
facing
the
hardest
of
truths,
even
tougher
choices—and
risking
more
than she
ever
imagined
to
discover
what her
life
could
really
be.
“Wonderful
. . .
holds
your
attention
from
beginning
to end.”
—Romantic
Times on
Something
She Can
Feel
“Funny
and
sexy.”
—Essence®
on Take
Her Man
Grace Octavia is a native of Westbury, New York. Her writing has
appeared in Sisterfriends by Michele Agins and Julia Chance and Rolling
Out magazine, where she was Editor-in-Chief. She is currently working on
her Ph.D. at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Visit her online at
www.graceoctavia.com.
One young woman is about to learn what
tough love is all about…
Thirty-three-year-old Kendra Richards just can’t escape her reckless
mother’s endless requests for money that will never be repaid. Again and
again, Kendra rescues Ginny despite the advice of her own father—a man
who left Ginny and her cheating ways long ago. Kendra knows her mother
is troubled—what she doesn’t understand is why she can’t tell her
no—until she happens to meet professor Sam Hayes…
Smart and sexy, Sam offers Kendra the answers—and the love and
romance—she’s been looking for. She’s finally happy—until Ginny turns up
for another handout. But this time the situation is desperate, and the
stakes are higher than ever. Now, Kendra must finally decide if she’s
willing to lose everything for a woman who has nothing to give…
Praise for the Novels of Gwynne Forster “Wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance of
honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it.”—Publishers
Weekly on A Different Kind of Blues
“Touching, thought-provoking, and will make you think twice about ever
keeping secrets from the one you love.” —Kimberla Lawson Roby, New York
Times bestselling author on If You Walked in My Shoes
Seaside Stories is a collection of short stories. They are centered
around a small Black community in Seaside California, and particularly
the family of a strong, charismatic, Pentecostal preacher. The era is
the 1950s. The themes include conflicts over race, gender, morals, and
the changing of the guard. The characters are richly realized, graced
with colloquialisms of the time and place. The collection is rich in
humor, insights, and a deep sense of the people and the places along the
California coast in the middle of the last century. For many it will be
a homecoming to a home they’ve never seen.
The
Mastermind.
The
Patsy.
The
Heist
Vegas
never
saw
coming....
At only
twenty-five,
Honey
has a
long
list of
exes in
her
life; an
ex-con
father,
an
ex-husband,
and an
ex-career
as an
ATF
agent.
Playing
the
cards
life has
dealt
her,
she's
now
working
as a
blackjack
dealer
in one
of the
most
profitable
casinos
in
alluring
Las
Vegas.
Soon,
her
life's
training
is put
to good
use as
Honey
develops
a master
plan to
get that
dirty
money!
The city
is taken
by
surprise
when an
armored
truck is
high-jacked
in broad
daylight
on a
sweltering
hot
Wednesday.
Normally
prepared
for
anything
and
everything,
the Las
Vegas
police
are
baffled
by this
blatant
crime,
and
pressure
from the
public
and
casino
owners
drive
them to
desperation.
Honey
and her
crew of
loyal
followers
pull off
one of
the most
rewarding
and
masterful
heists
in Las
Vegas
history,
but not
everyone
will get
to enjoy
the
loot.
Someone
has to
take the
fall.
AUTHOR
BIOS NISA
SANTIAGO
Nisa
Santiago
came
bursting
onto the
literary
scene in
2009
with her
debut
title,
Cartier
Cartel.
The book
garnered
rave
reviews
and left
her
readers
wanting
more.
She
followed
up with
the
sequel,
Return
of the
Cartier
Cartel –
which
turned
into a
national
bestseller.
The
Library
Journal
declared
that
Santiago’s
sequel,
[Return
of the
Cartier
Cartel]
“Will
keep
readers
hooked
to the
last
chapter.”
Born and
raised
in
Brooklyn,
and now
living
in
Harlem,
the
author
is
moving
at full
speed
with her
writing
endeavors.
Coined
the
Duchess
of
Hop-Hip
lit,
Santiago
humbly
admits,
“I’m
just
grateful
to be
doing
what I
love as
a career
and not
just a
hobby.”
Her
latest
novel,
Bad
Apple –
The
Baddest
Chick is
slated
for an
October
2011
release
date.
The
author
emphatically
states
that her
decision
to start
a new
series
instead
of
penning
part 3
to
Cartier
Cartel
was a
brave
one. “My
readers
love
Cartier
and they
wanted
more.”
Santiago
wants
her
readers
to know
that she
has so
many
stories
to tell
and
shows no
signs of
slowing
down.
Dirty
Money
Honey is
an
anthology
with her
peers,
Erica
Hilton
and Kim
K.,
Melodrama
Publishing’s
new
trinity
of
authors.
ERICA
HILTON
Erica
Hilton’s
ability
to
switch
up her
writing
style is
undeniably
her
greatest
feat.
From the
hardcore
storyline
of 10
Crack
Commandments,
where
the
lyrics
of the
incomparable
Christopher
Wallace,
AKA, the
Notorious
BIG are
broken
down and
deciphered
into a
thick
fictional
plot
filled
with
drug
deals
and
backstabbers.
To the
more
female
driven
narrative
of Wifey:
From
Mistress
to Wifey,
slated
for a
November
2011
release.
Also in
Ms.
Hilton’s
catalog
are:
Dirty
Little
Angel,
The
Diamond
Syndicate
and
Dirty
Money
Honey,
that
will be
released
on
Melodrama
Publishing
November
2011.
Dirty
Money
Honey is
a
collaborative
effort
with her
labelmates,
Nisa
Santiagoand
Kim K.
Erica
currently
lives in
West
Hollywood,
California
with her
fiancée
and two
dogs,
Jay and
Bee.
KIM
K.
Sheisty
Chicks
is
authoress
Kim K’s
debut
novel,
which
will be
released
December
2011 by
Melodrama
Publishing.
The
author
states
that the
book was
inspired
by
real-life
events,
snapshots
taken
from her
years as
a child
in and
out of
the New
York
City
foster
system.
At
sixteen,
Kim was
tossed
into a
group
home by
a judge
for
allegedly
pulling
out a
weapon
on a
neighborhood
bully.
Now, at
twenty
years
old,
she’s
reformed,
in
college
and
working
on an
Associate
Degree
in
Journalism.
Kim
feels
her
missteps
in her
past
have
shaped
her
future
positively.
She’s
looking
ahead
and not
behind
and
cannot
wait
until
her
first
title,
Dirty
Money
Honey, a
collaboration
with two
of her
favorite
authors,
Nisa
Santiago
and
Erica
Hilton.
That
title
[Dirty
Money
Honey]
has a
September
2011
publication
date.
Lutishia
Lovely
dishes
up a
decadent
helping
of love,
lust,
greed,
and
secrecy
in this
riveting
tale of
a
family’s
soul
food
dynasty...
Life is
good for
the
Livingstons.
Business
is
booming,
Taste of
Soul is
launching
a West
Coast
division,
and
Bianca
Livingston
and her
brother,
Jefferson,
are
vying to
head it
up—which
means
their
long
simmering
rivalry
is about
to boil
over...
Having
completed
a
culinary
course
in
Paris—along
with a
hot love
affair—Bianca
feels
more
than
ready to
take the
reins in
L.A. Her
parents’
insistence
that she
marry a
man of
their
choosing
only
fuels
her
ambition.
Jefferson
is
hoping
the
position
will
free him
to be
with the
secret
L.A.
love his
family
would
never
approve
of. But
the two
soon
realize
that
between
their
meddling
cousin,
Toussaint,
and the
return
of an
enemy
bent on
crushing
the
Livingston
empire,
they
aren’t
the only
ones in
this
competition.
And when
company
money
mysteriously
starts
disappearing,
they'll
find
it's
hard to
run a
business
when no
one can
mind
their
own...
From the
New York
Times
bestselling
author
of
Big
Girls Do
Cry
comes a
deliciously
provocative
new
page-turner
starring
plus-sized
diva
Loraine
Farrow
and the
men in
her
life…
One of
Richmond,
Virginia’s,
hottest,
most
successful
women,
Loraine
Farrow
finally
wants to
settle
down
with her
husband,
Leon,
and
focus on
her
marriage.
Trouble
is, her
ex-lover,
Michael,
isn’t
about to
let her
go so
easily.
But
things
aren’t
so
simple
with
Leon
either.
Painful
issues
from his
childhood
are
starting
to
surface
in the
bedroom.
Leon’s
seeing a
therapist,
but what
he’s
uncovering
could
destroy
their
marriage
for
good—unless
Michael
does it
first.
As
Loraine
deals
with her
relationship
drama,
her best
friend,
Jerome,
is left
alone to
deal
with
Peter, a
stalker
who will
stop at
nothing
to
destroy
him.
Now,
four
indomitable
people
torn
between
love and
lust,
secrets
and
lies,
will
have to
face the
momentous
decisions
they
must
ultimately
make.
Tears of
a
Hustler
3 picks
up right
where
part two
left
off.
Things
get
serious
when
Marvin
the
leader
of a
powerful
up
coming
gang
decides
he wants
to take
over
Pauleenas
empire.
With her
back
against
the wall
Pauleena
defends
her
territory
by any
means
necessary
even if
it means
killing
everything
moving.
With her
main
soldier
gone she
has step
up to
the
plate
and get
her
hands
dirty.
The
streets
will
rain
money or
blood
it’s
their
choice
but
giving
up her
throne
is not
an
option.
Who will
be the
last
hustler
standing?
Once
against
Silk
White
takes
readers
on a
ride
they
won’t
ever
forget.
A hip sophisticated romantic “dramedy” about a confident and handsome TV
executive, LeBaron Brown, who has it all. Great career and beautiful
girlfriend... Life is perfect… Until he gets dumped!
Phoenix Morgan, his long time girlfriend was certain LeBaron would
propose on their four-year anniversary. She was wrong.
He had no idea that failing to “pop the question” was the last straw.
She had no idea her choice would hurt so much…
Distraught, LeBaron seeks the wise council of Dr. Carter, a charismatic
therapist. During a series of hilarious sessions he relives the
relationships that have shaped his philosophy on women.
Heartbroken, Phoenix, a buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue, heads to Paris for
Fashion Week. There, her life takes an unexpected turn.
Al Green asked, “How do you mend a broken heart?” Well, a charming music
producer will help her answer that question... Will LeBaron come to his
senses before it’s too late? Or will Phoenix find true romance in the
city of Love?
Living in the Pink is a series of humorous and insightful short stories with Christian underpinnings. Through the eyes of the wise “Sister Pinky” and Believers Ministries International Church, these stories highlight issues that women grapple with but often remain unspoken in religious circles. The characters are everyday wives, mothers, and singles. They develop and gain a spiritual perspective in dealing with romantic relationships, wayward children, jealousy, church traditions, Christian hypocrisy, and self-righteous judgment, among other themes. Discussion questions help readers connect with the storylines and urge them to look within—and up—to reach their highest potential in life.
Betrayed by her cold, callous mother and abused by her pot-smoking,
alcoholic stepfather, eighteen-year-old Simone Woodard is kicked out of
the house like a bag of trash and left to survive on her own. While
struggling to find a place, create a life, and establish an adult
identity for herself, she captivates Kevin Kennard, a handsome,
hazel-eyed felon. Simone’s beauty and purity make Kevin rethink his
criminal path, but the action on the streets refuses to take a backseat
to love.
A victim of a sinister plot lands Kevin in jail for murder. While
serving his sentence, he is relentlessly pursued by other women, but all
he can think about is Simone, the one he left behind.
Alone and pregnant, Simone’s world further crumbles when she loses
custody of her child – a child fathered by Kevin. At her lowest point,
she is saved by an unlikely ally who refuses to let Simone wallow in
self-pity. With his unfailing support and unconditional love, Simone
slowly grows into the whole, powerful woman she was destined to be. But
will her newfound strength be enough to get her through life’s continued
and sometimes brutal unpredictability?
Two Tears in a Bucket is a soulful novel that reminds us how powerful
and lasting the bonds of love can be, even among the harsh realities of
urban life.
For almost five millennia, in every culture and in every major religion,
indigo—a blue pigment obtained from the small green leaf of a parasitic
shrub through a complex process that even scientists still regard as
mysterious—has been at the center of turbulent human encounters.
Indigo is the story of this precious dye and its ancient heritage: its
relationship to slavery as the “hidden half” of the transatlantic slave
trade, its profound influence on fashion, and its spiritual
significance, which is little recognized but no less alive today. It is
an untold story, brimming with rich, electrifying tales of those who
shaped the course of colonial history and a world economy.
But Indigo is also the story of a personal quest: Catherine McKinley is
the descendant of a clan of Scots who wore indigo tartan as their virile
armor; the kin of several generations of Jewish “rag traders”; the
maternal granddaughter of a Massachusetts textile factory owner; and the
paternal granddaughter of African slaves—her ancestors were traded along
the same Saharan routes as indigo, where a length of blue cotton could
purchase human life. McKinley’s journey in search of beauty and her own
history ultimately leads her to a new and satisfying path, to finally
“taste life.” With its four-color photo insert and sumptuous design,
Indigo will be as irresistible to look at as it is to read.
Author Bio
Catherine McKinley is the author of The Book of Sarahs. She is a
graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where she has taught Creative
Nonfiction, and a former Fulbright Scholar in Ghana, West Africa, where
she began her research on indigo. She lives in New York City.
Must a young woman choose between her commitment to her marriage…and
to God?
Brianna was ten years old when she first met twenty-five year old
David R. Shepherd, a devout and gifted gospel recording artist who
would ultimately become world renowned megastar, King d.Avid. He
left an impression on Brianna she would never forget. And they were
destined to meet again…
Brianna’s best friend, Alana Norwood, hasn’t had the best encounters
with men, but she’s always been a good friend to Brianna, no matter
what situation the two may find themselves in. But despite their
bond, the next time Brianna encounters King, she’s a lonely young
wife seeking solace in religious studies. While Alana’s quest for
fame has her living a life that seems to be going nowhere fast,
King’s companionship offers Brianna the deep emotional connection
she longs for. But when both a tragedy and a blessing enters
Brianna’s life, she finds herself wrestling with questions of faith,
fidelity, forgiveness, and the sovereignty of God…like never before.
“Vanessa is a superb storyteller.” —ReShonda Tate Billingsley
“Griggs address[es] the challenges of living by Biblical rules with
homespun humor. Fans will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly on The
Truth Is the Light
“A smart novel that addresses an issue that many in the church shy
away from—divorce—with frank realism.” —Library Journal on
Practicing What You Preach
When it comes to joining the ranks of Washington D.C.’s glamorous elite,
no social ladder is too high for these ambitious ladies to climb…
Sherise, Billie, and Erica will do anything to penetrate the capital’s
shimmering social circle of movers and shakers, even if it means
engaging in some risky business. Sherise’s dangerous game with a
ruthless powerbroker is putting her on the White House fast track—and
derailing her marriage…. High-powered lawyer Billie will use any weapon
to battle her sexy ex-husband between the sheets so she can move on
after heartbreak…. Erica’s prestigious new promotion at the Pentagon
means bad news for her former-hustler boyfriend that may wreck her
dreams for good…. And when drama even these divas never saw coming turns
explosive, they’ll have to fight fire with fire, and prove their loyalty
to each other—because in D.C. you always need someone to have your
back...
Praise for Angela Winters
“Entertaining…the pacing is fast and the drama (is) unrelenting.”
--Publishers Weekly on Never Enough
“A Dynasty-esque mix of money, power, sex, and crime.”
--Washingtonian.com on View Park
From New York Times bestselling author Mary B. Morrison comes a moving,
unforgettable story of lives at a crossroads, love lost and found, and
the price of secrets…
After her high school sweetheart proposed and joined the military, Mona
Lisa Ellington thought she’d never feel love again. So she settled,
making a new life for herself with a man who cherished her…and made his
living hurting others. Despite her reality, she prayed her fiancé would
one day return.
Before becoming a television reporter, Katherine Clinton knew she’d
marry her high school sweetheart and live happily ever after. But when
he left for the military, she had to make new plans for her and their
son. Despite his long absence, Katherine dreamed of the day her fiancé
would return and make her family complete.
William Lincoln joined the military to make his grandfather proud. He
never imagined he would be gone so long, or that the fiancées he left
behind would reignite emotions he thought he’d never feel again. But his
selfish proposal to two women is the least of his problems, because all
three will face the consequences of too much deception.…
Soul, satisfying sex is usually the ultimate weapon. For Diamond
Robinson, it may turn out to be a serious problem. On the surface, she
appears to be your average beauty, living next door. But Diamond is full
of deceit, mischief, and seduction. She loves good loving so much that
she's willing to do anything, including sleep with someone who you'd
least expect. When her sexcapades spiral out of control, one thing leads
to another, and her lover ends up dead; leaving everyone she's ever
loved, against her. Unknowingly, both she and her nymphonic road dogs
get themselves mixed up with secrets and lies that lead to unstoppable
turmoil.
How far will you go to keep your man? That’s the question that Sheryl
had to ask herself. She’s reached the end of her rope and she’ll do
anything keep her man. When her husband, Darren, tells her that the only
way to save their marriage is to invite her best friend, Jessica, into
their bed, Sheryl begs Jessica; “I need you, Jessica. Please do this for
me.”
Knowing that, “nothing good can come of this,” and against her better
judgment, Jessica agrees and it’s on. But after one night of passion,
Darren finds that fulfilling a fantasy doesn’t always lead to
satisfaction, because now he’s obsessed with Jessica and is determined
to get her back into his bed; voluntarily or involuntarily. Now
Jessica’s world has spun out of control and she's forced to take some
drastic measures and deal with some unexpected people to get her life
back.
In THE REQUEST, author LaVonda Kennedy has penned an erotic tale that
gives new meaning to the word deception.
New York Times bestselling author Mary B. Morrison links two beloved
series in a riveting tale of envy and seduction that has basketball star
Darius Jones up against a woman who takes being a fan to the next level.
Darius Jones is living the good life. He’s got a chance to become the
league’s most valuable player, he’s crazy in love with his wife, and his
relationship with his mom has never been better.
But Darius also has a stalker who’s determined to be the number one
woman in his life. And no matter where he goes, she’s there…scheming to
kill his wife, Fancy; charming his manager and mother, Jada;
manipulating his son’s mother, Ashlee; and worst of all, dragging new
mother Honey Thomas into the mix with one of the most heartless schemes
ever. With his life quickly unraveling, Darius must gamble all he’s
worked for to save his wife, reclaim his son, and stop a madwoman from
ruining the lives of everyone around him. . . .
“Mix dirty red drama, relationship scandals, suspense, love and you get
my girl Mary B. Morrison.”—Vickie Stringer
“There’s a flood of backstabbing, drama, and felonies…. not a dull
moment in this shamelessly flamboyant romp that Morrison’s many fans are
sure to devour.” —Publishers Weekly on Darius Jones
Smart, gorgeous, and too tough for her own good, bail recovery agent and
single mom Evangeline Crawford moved to the burbs for a quiet life.
Fortunately, it’s not turning out that way…
Angel has to admit she’s feeling restless. The only excitement in her
new life is her schoolgirl crush on the town’s new pastor,
Justus-too-Hot-to-be-Holy Morgan. But a fateful encounter and a job gone
wrong at Club Night Candy in underground Atlanta is about to change all
that… Soon, Angel’s trying to save her divazilla twin sister from her
big mouth and a scandalous murder charge, and probing a church
cover-up—with none other than Justus by her side. But Angel has one more
pressing concern: will Bella be ready for kindergarten? Only time will
tell for this bad girl gone good whose days are once again far from
boring—and hopefully far from numbered…
“This novel has been a long time coming, and there will be many more
knock-outs from Miranda Parker—one of the brightest authors on the
horizon.” —Creston Mapes, author of Dark Star and Nobody
“Miranda Parker’s debut is deliciously fun! It has the perfect amount of
intrigue, romance, action and all-out girl-power!” —Tiffany Warren,
author of In the Midst of It All
In Dirty Divorce Part 1 and 2 readers were at the edge of their seats,
addicted to the Sanchez family drama. The Dirty Divorce Part 3 begins
with Rich instantly being a mark with a death sentence placed on his
head. He's faced with his biggest nightmare when secrets are revealed
that he thought were buried. While Lisa spirals out of control more than
ever, Marisol and Rich battle their way to be the top dog in the
industry that has made their lives a living hell. More than ever they
learn that karma is a vicious cycle. The lifestyle of fast money and
luxurious things will never prepare them for the new drama that is about
to unfold. Get ready for another shocker full of disbelief as you take
the final ride.
About the Author
Miss KP began writing in high school as an outlet to express her
emotions as a teenager. She would write poetry and has even written
unpublished songs. However, after feeling as if she had much more to
say, she decided to purchase a laptop and began working on her first
novel, which we now know as Dirty Divorce, Part 1. Just months after a
good friend introduced her to publisher, Azarel; Miss KP s dreams came
true. She became a published author with the Life Changing Books (L.C.B)
family with a #1 hit behind her name. Along with being an author, Miss
KP works in the fashion industry as a Merchandise Manager in a prominent
department store. A native Washingtonian, Miss KP currently resides in
Maryland with her eight year old daughter, and is enjoying the success
of her second best-selling novel, The Dirty Divorce- Part 2 and is
awaiting the release of the third installment which releases in May of
2011.
In this sizzling and suspenseful novel, Niobia Bryant thrills readers
with a bold, sexy story about a mistress who’s ready to reveal all her
dirty little secrets…
Jessa Bell shocked the hell out of her three best friends when she
announced she was having an affair with one of their husbands—then
refused to say which one. She has been reveling in watching her friends
self-destruct while trying to figure out which dog of a husband has been
getting some on the side.
But now, caught between an ex-lover who won’t let her go, and a new
lover who’s more than happy to, Jessa’s ready to confront the ladies,
reveal the truth, and move on. Maybe her stunt will even send her latest
married man back into her waiting arms for good. But she’ll soon find
out that revenge isn’t just sweet—it can be deadly. Because nothing will
ever be the same once Jessa Bell decides that she’s a mistress no more…
Raves for Niobia Bryant’s Message From a Mistress “Grabs your attention from the first page." --The RAWSISTAZ
Reviewers
“This novel is packed with unbelievable drama that will capture readers
from page one." --Books2Mention Magazine
"...a fast-paced, sexy romp that is entertaining from start to finish."
--APOOO Book Club
Tori Henderson is on the fast track in her marketing career in Houston,
but her personal life is slow as molasses. So when her beloved Aunt
Dottie falls ill, Tori travels back to tiny Bayford to care for her. But
when she arrives, she’s faced with more than she bargained for,
including Dottie's struggling local store and a troubled little
step-cousin, DeAndre. Worse, the nearest Starbucks is twenty miles away…
Just as Tori is feeling overwhelmed, she re-connects with her old crush,
the pastor's son, Jacob, who is as handsome as Tori remembers. As the
church rallies for Aunt Dottie's recovery, Aunt Dottie rallies to remind
Tori of God's love. And when Tori and DeAndre form an unexpected bond,
and sparks fly between her and Jacob, small-town life starts looking
promising. Tori came to Bayford to give, but she just might receive more
than she dreamed was still possible for her...
“Michelle Stimpson does a wonderful job of creating characters that are
believable and loveable. The Divas of Damascus Road will make you laugh,
cry and laugh some more.” —Good Girl Book Club
Charlene Thomas needed a job and she took one quick at the Gay Channel.
After being plopped into the brewing cauldron of a start-up network, she
seizes her chance to rebuild her life following a traumatic divorce.
Charlene is center stage when the media phenomenon shoots to #1 while
juggling plenty of drama in her personal life—fighting a custody battle
for her two children and comforting a best friend whose husband was
caught “on the down-low.” Charlene Thomas is Black Girl @ the Gay
Channel. Don't get in a sister's way. Good old ambition still rules the
day. Pop-reality at its snarkiest!
Author Bio
In her debut novel, Black Girl @ the Gay Channel, Darlyne has given up a
little dirt, but has saved most of it for her next project. Some of her
film and television credits include In Dreams, All Over Me, Caught, Mr.
Jealousy, OZ, and Showtime at the Apollo. During her cable network years
she worked at Nickelodeon, Spike TV, Fuse TV, and the LGBT channel,
Logo. Visit the author's website: http://darlynebaugh.com or follow on
Twitter @Johannesgirl.
New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable
tale featuring Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel
The Upper Room. Now readers will get a peek into Ruby’s early years, as
she transforms from a spoiled small-town girl into one of the South’s
most notorious and volatile women…
Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of
girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she’s
fifteen, Ruby has developed a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and
not even her preacher daddy can set her straight. Most everyone in the
neighborhood knows you don’t cross Ruby. Only Othella Mae Cartier,
daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick.
When Ruby discovers she’s in the family way, she’s scared for the first
time in her life. After hiding her growing belly with baggy dresses,
Ruby secretly gives birth to a baby girl at Othella’s house. With few
choices, Othella talks Ruby into giving the child away—and with the help
of a shocking revelation, convinces Ruby to run off with her to New
Orleans.
But nothing can erase Ruby’s memories of the child she lost—or quell her
simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby
go. If there’s a fine line between best friend and worst nightmare, Ruby
is surely treading it. Because someday, there will be a reckoning. And
when it comes, Othella will learn the hard way that no one knows how to
exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw…
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe comes a poignant and
passionate new novel featuring lifelong friends Annette Goode Davis and
Rho da O’Toole–two women whose best intentions don’t always yield the
best results.
Even though her life has its ups and downs, Annette Goode Davis feels
lucky. Most of all, Annette is grateful that her husband, Pee Wee, took
her back after he discovered she was having an affair. The trouble is,
while Pee Wee agreed to give Annette another chance, she’s not sure his
heart is really in it. Rhoda is quick to point out that Annette got
herself into this mess, so she has to be patient until Pee Wee forgives
her. But time may be running out.
Annette’s suspicions are confirmed when Pee Wee moves out—and in with
his new lady. She takes the news hard and so does her daughter,
Charlotte. Annette won’t let her family go without a fight, but she also
knows she must prepare for the worst—because one lesson she’s learned
all too well is that when life kicks you in the teeth, you have to come
out swinging.
Praise for the novels of Mary Monroe
“Another witty and wise installment to her God series… If this raunchy
and rambunctious book is any indication, Monroe’s series has a lot of
life left in it.” —Publishers Weekly on God Ain’t Through Yet
“Swift, salty writing … will keep readers cheering for the couple, and a
twisting plot will keep them turning pages.”—Publishers Weekly on The
Company We Keep
MARY MONROE, the daughter of sharecroppers, is the author of the
award-winning and New York Times bestselling God series that includes
God Don’t Like Ugly and God Ain’t Blind, among other novels. The winner
of the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award, Mary Monroe currently lives in
Oakland, California, and loves to hear from her readers via e-mail at
AuthorAuthor5409@aol.com.
Three women are about to learn more than they ever wanted to know about
secrets—and the men who keep them…
As the owner of Situations, the hottest beauty salon on the south side
of Chicago, Noelle Gordon has a direct line to the private lives of her
clients. But when an abandoned baby girl appears on her doorstep, Noelle
finds herself at the center of a personal drama. Could the baby be her
husband’s? Or maybe her grown son’s? Both men deny it—but Noelle is sure
one of them is lying…
Meanwhile, Noelle’s employees are discovering that their own romantic
relationships harbor a secret or two. The truth isn’t always pretty. But
can they find the strength to live with it—and with the men they love?
“It’s a sticky situation! Filled with teasing twists and eye popping,
craftily written scenes, this novel will heat your seat, causing you to
stay with it until you’re finished!! I offer readers six words...KEEP
YOUR EYES ON SASHA CAMPBELL!” —Brenda Hampton, author of the Naughty
series
Despite the beautiful home, expensive cars and huge bank account, Skye’s
marriage to pro football player, Sandino Washington is seriously flawed.
After years of being a victim of domestic violence, Skye is caught
between their extravagant lifestyle and his controlling behavior, but
knows she has to get out. In a desperate attempt, Skye flees the abusive
marriage with her three children in tow, and vows never to go back. She
even begins a new life with a new identity, but lives in fear, knowing
that Sandino won t rest until he finds them. Brace yourself as a
shattered woman is determined to rebuild her life and protect her family
at all cost, even if it means death. Besides, who wouldn’t’ fight
against their most treacherous enemy; even if it is your own husband?
Author Bio
Jackie Davis, more affectionately known as Jackie D, born in Washington,
D.C, currently lives in Raleigh, NC, with her son, Emanuel, a student at
North Carolina Central University. Jackie works as a membership
coordinator full time and part time assisting mentally challenged adults
and children. She became a book lover at a very young age, and was
inspired to write her novel by a close friend, and author Tonya
Ridley.She is currently soaking up the excitement of the release of her
second novel, Married to a Balla. Jackie is also the proud author of
Love Heist. Visit Jackie D. at
theliteraryconnection.net or
www.facebook/loveheist
or simply email
Jackiedavis1967@yahoo.com
25 Success Principles is definitely not the last motivational
success book you will read, but this book will change how you
view success. The principles in this book will make you think;
re-evaluate your life, the success you have achieved or the lack
thereof.
Success is something that you obtain and not something that you just
learn. To achieve success in your life you need to learn the principles
or precepts that will help you achieve good success.
Winning the lottery or hitting the jackpot is not success, but success
is when three to five years have passed, and you are not broke or
without money. Success is what you have done with that money to make
life better for yourself and others.
Therefore, in this book “25 Success Principles” you will learn how to
define true success and how to achieve and maintain this success in your
life.
So read, understand and enjoy the principles and teachings of this
life-changing book.
About The Author
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Kevin was the youngest of two
brothers and one sister. Growing up, he was always a child who was
striving for good things in life. Kevin was a natural leader and was
constantly helping his peers achieve greater things in life. Kevin
started writing positive and motivating material as early as age 10. He
would write encouraging poems and songs. Then, at the age of 13, Kevin
wrote and directed his first play in his Middle school English class.
These different events in life are what he credits to him now wanting to
write and be involved with motivating and encouraging people.
Kevin has experienced a lot throughout his life, in which he feels
compelled to share with others through his speaking and writing. The
wisdom and knowledge he has gained through his trials and tribulations,
Kevin feels he has something to share with others, to help them in their
lives. His life goal is to be a motivation and encouragement to people
whom he meets in life. His saying is; “You cannot change a person, but
you can inspire a person to change.”
Sometimes it’s the unexpected that makes
life interesting…
Smart, sexy Victoria Small has come to the end of her year off—from men,
that is. She’s enjoyed her hiatus, the peace, quiet—and no unexpected
interruptions. But now she’s ready to have someone to come home to. And
her timing is perfect, as not one, but two, handsome possibilities enter
her life…
Ted, a powerful, blue-eyed CEO sends a thrill of excitement through her
that shocks Victoria out of her comfort zone. Meanwhile, Parker, a
talented surgeon, melts her defenses with his warmth and ebony good
looks. The men are as different as can be—inside and out—but they have
one thing in common: they both want Victoria. And as she struggles to
decide what—and who—she really wants, Victoria will have to face her
deepest fears, secrets, and desires—and decide if she’s brave enough for
true love, no matter what color it comes in. Her answer just may
surprise everyone, including herself…
“Trice Hickman has created passionate, three-dimensional characters who
push the envelope of love and life… A memorable first offering.”
--Marissa Monteilh, author of Dr. Feelgood
“There’s a good dose of humor and steamy romance that makes this novel
soar.”--Urban Reviews
Some people flirt, others admire from
afar, but one thing’s for sure—there’s nothing hotter than a crush that
tempts you to take a chance. . . .
White Mocha
MICHELE GRANT
Jayla has always played it safe, personally and professionally. Finding
the perfect cup of coffee is about the most exciting thing in her life.
But one look at free-spirited café owner Jason, and she’s suddenly
inspired to venture out of her comfort zone…
Wanted: You
LUTISHIA LOVELY
Chaz Covington is the guy every man wants to be and every woman wants to
have. So when a series of anonymous erotic letters begin arriving at his
office, he is only mildly surprised. His prudish assistant, Lois, is
shocked. But before it’s all over, she won’t be the only one…
From One Lover to Another
CYDNEY RAX
Lorraine Eafford is done with bad boys. She’s ready for someone nice and
reliable—someone just like her new co-worker, Wendell. But her ex won’t
take no for an answer, and Lorraine is about to show him just how bad
this good girl can be…
“Vibrant characters, artful storytelling, and an original voice make
Lutishia Lovely worth every moment.”—Donna Hill
“Talented Grant entices, captivates and mesmerizes her
readers."—Romantic Times on Heard It All Before
“…you’ll find yourself drawn to Rax’s juicy tale of out-of-order Buppies
in love and lust.”—Essence® on My Husband’s Girlfriend
Have you
ever
been
played?
Most
will
say,
yes, and
just
take the
defeat
on the
chin,
but not
Zaria
Hopkins.
Life had
already
dealt
her a
bad hand
landing
her in a
two-bedroom
apartment
with a
roommate
who
thought
she was
a
nut-case,
and who
desperately
tried to
get away
from
both her
odd
behavior
and
controlling
ways. As
luck
would
have it
Zaria
hooked
up with
Hardy, a
sexy,
suave
piece of
eye
candy
who
laughed
her out
of her
panties
the
first
night
then
tried to
tell her
to
forget
it ever
happened
the next
day.
Unfortunately,
Hardy
wasn’t
aware of
her past
and that
the
woman
he’d
slept
with
wasn’t
the
forgiving
type.
Before
long,
his wife
is in
danger
and
Hardy s
secrets
are
exposed.
Zaria
wants
revenge
and
decides
she
deserves
everything
she's
always
been
missing;
money,
power,
and
respect.
With
Zaria’s
over the
top
personality
and
tricks
up her
sleeve
this
book is
a cross
between
the
modern
day
fatal
attraction
and
single
black
female…
but with
an
incredible
twist.
Beware!
Reese Kennedy, is a controversial radio
talk-show host who was on top of the world when she was married and
living the glamorous life. That is until her husband Eric, a former NBA
player, leaves for her for a much younger woman. After a nasty divorce,
Reese takes her frustration out on every man by bashing them on her show
and soon becomes the most hated woman in Dallas. Just when Reese thinks
she s completely fed up with men, a handsome and charismatic investor
named Xavier walks into her life. Trying her best to adjust to love
again, Reese finally puts her guards down until she suddenly finds
herself on death s door. The phrase keep your enemies close will take on
a new meaning when an awful truth is revealed and Reese quickly learns
that she s not the only one who s bitter.
Author Bio
Danette Majette was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and moved to
Norfolk, Virginia when she was five. After graduating from high school
and going into the U.S. Marine Corps, Danette's love for fashion led her
to Nordstrom where she worked as a manager. It was there that she was
advised be a friend and co-worker to write her first novel "I Shoulda
Seen It Comin' which debuted in 2005. She followed this success two
years later with her second novel 'Deep" which successfully made the
Essence Magazine bestseller list in 2008. She released her third novel
“Good Girl Gone Bad’ in April 2010.
After living in the Washington D.C. area for ten years, Danette moved to
the Raleigh, N.C. area with her two children, Bryan Majette and Marketa
Salley. Marketa is a featured author in LCB’S Teenage Bluez. A series of
urban short stories written for and by teens. Her fourth novel 'Bitter'
is set to be released in February 2011.
The story of Dai Break Jones is the story
of a woman born into a man’s world with aggressive ambition. She proves
to be a woman who puts her faith in her own ability and desires. She
never accepts the thought that a woman has her place. Born the only
child to the founder of one of Chicago’s largest street organizations,
Dai Break Jones accepts her position of royalty and stands toe to toe
against all foes. More Boy than Girl is Street Lit at its finest. It is
a hard core story about a hard core world.
GLORY…THE HAIR is the story of one woman’s journey after getting
her hair snipped too much. It depicts how very important hair is to
everyone. Hair is a woman’s personality and her livelihood and
dating life really depends upon it. Some men won’t even look in the
direction of a woman with short hair. Hair is sexy.
Jennifer Williams goes for a routine hair visit at Touch-Up salon.
After leaving, she gets more than she bargained for. Her hairdresser
Shelia Kennedy cuts too much of her hair. Jennifer says it’s about
jealousy and hairdressers trying to destroy a woman’s glory. Shelia,
of course, thinks that Jennifer is overreacting. This hair drama
affects Jennifer at church, on the job and in her relationship with
Troy. See how the two end up in court over hair and it has nothing
to do with a bad relaxer.
Lutishia Lovely serves up a sizzling
behind-the-scenes tale of rivalry and scandal in a family’s booming soul
food dynasty…
With brothers Malcolm and Toussaint Livingston at the helm, business at
Taste of Soul is thriving and the family seems to have it all. But
jealousy and competition threaten to tarnish their picture-perfect
image.
Toussaint is a risk-taker, determined to expand the restaurant chain at
a record pace, but levelheaded Malcolm insists on challenging
Toussaint’s goals. And at home, there’s more heating up than grits and
collard greens. Malcolm is growing weary of his marriage and his
ever-expanding brood of children. His brother’s Casanova lifestyle looks
more and more appealing. But Toussaint’s playboy days aren’t as carefree
as Malcolm thinks. Toussaint’s met his match in interior designer Alexis
St. Clair, a woman who refuses to become just another dish on this
player’s mating menu. But if Toussaint has his way, the happenings in
both the boardroom and the bedroom are all about to change…
“Lovely once again expertly illuminates the wacky world of the devout
and devoutly devilish.”
—Publishers Weekly on Reverend Feelgood
“Vibrant characters, artful storytelling, and an original voice make
Lutishia Lovely worth every moment.” —Donna Hill
This exciting debut novel tells the story
of one young woman who’s willing to take a chance on the right
man—almost…
Twenty-something public relations gem Jules Jackson has everything in
her life under control, and that’s exactly the way she likes it. She’s
got no problem handling two jobs, her crazy friends, and her difficult
mother. But she’s just about given up on men—until she meets fine
Germaine Williams …
Straight-up catch Germaine is eager to prove his worth to Jules, and she
falls hard. But it’s soon clear Germaine’s keeping at least one big
secret. And the deeper Jules digs, the more her balancing act and her
romance begin to crumble. Now Jules can either turn to her faith and
open her heart to love—or risk getting it broken…
“Christian fiction fans will love this book! Man Enough For Me has
heaping helpings of faith, prayer and redemption. I expect that readers
will be clamoring for more from Rhonda Bowen.” --Tiffany L. Warren,
Essence® bestselling author
“Enough drama, romance, and faith that keeps you turning pages.” —Tia
McCollors, Essence® Bestselling Author
Secrets Unveiled Second Edition, by author Sheshena Pledger, is a
break-through suspense novel that will captivate young adult readers. In
her debut novel, Pledger delivers a gritty crime noir that provides a
creative commentary on American contemporary life.The writing is
engaging and innovative, incorporating quotes from a variety of artists,
from Jay-Z to Nikki Giovanni, as the heading of each chapter.
The plot unfolds to reveal one of America’s most notorious fiction crime
families. Bred by the late, infamous Samuel Harris, the Harris Family’s
tree is ripe with criminal minded individuals of the worst nature. The
Harris Family is notorious for their signature style of killing,
capturing the attention of American families from coast to coast, all
fearful of the wrath that the Harris Family unleashes in its fury. But
the Harris Family’s focus zooms in on an unlikely candidate by the name
of Nicholas Miller. And as the story unfolds, Nick wakes up to the
longest day of his life; a day that not only changes his life from that
point on… but also changes life as Nick knew it.
Pledger contemplates the role that family plays in self-discovery;
weighing a gained sense of belonging against an individual’s loss of
control. Is there always guilt by association? Is our destiny
pre-determined? Pledger reveals that it is a slippery slope on which we
travel, when one family’s secrets can be another family’s bait.
Clarence Knight, a filmmaker who is making
it big out in Hollywood, is suddenly uprooted from his city life when
his best friend, Reggie Dunn, summons him to come back home because
Reggie's father is dying. After all, Mr. Dunn played an intricate part
in Clarence’s upbringing. He unwillingly returns to his old stomping
grounds of Woodland Heights, the Projects. Once he arrives, he discovers
that his old hood isn't quite the way it used to be when he and his
family moved there twenty years ago.
While visiting with his best friend and catching up on old times,
Clarence figured he could make the best of the trip by surprising his
friend with a camera crew that is in the process of making a documentary
about their lives in Woodland Heights, the way it was in the 70s. But he
also has another motive for this documentary; he longs to know what has
happened to a kid named Marcus Paige they used to hang with. As the
camera starts rolling, secrets—dark and shocking ones—also begin to
unravel. Clarence discovers that his old neighborhood has some extremely
harsh realities he will have to face.
After all is revealed, will Clarence still remain friends with his old
crew? Or better yet, will what Clarence learns keep him silent forever?
Find out in this fast-paced, breathtaking mystery-suspense, Silent
Knight.
Silent Knight is available in electronic formats, as well as on Amazon.
Life, Will It Take Me Under! When we are young, we dream of what we will grow up to be. Some
dream of becoming lawyers. Some dream of becoming doctors. Others want
to grow up to be businessmen and women. Then we experience the realities
of life, with all its mountains to climb, all its setbacks and letdowns;
then we wonder, “Life, will it take me under!
Being the eldest of three children, Kim assumed several responsibilities
after her father's death without any complaints. However, problems
started to plague the family when Myra entered the picture. The daughter
of the family's house tenant, Myra was into drinking and cutting
classes. It was not long before the Washington's realized that Myra was
a bad influence on Kim. It was through her that Kim became exposed to
boys, drugs and sex - vices which eventually destroyed her. Kim realized
that much of her problems were caused from living at home so she left.
How will things turn out for Kim after leaving?
A Novel of Hope and Second Chances! The once-peaceful home is turned into a miserably chaotic abode
beset with fights and confrontations. How will a family deal with
problems when the life harmony of their little home was gone? A
compelling saga about a young woman, who drowned into the cruel waters
of prostitution, drugs and alcohol. Author Joan L Sample, takes you to
great heights as Life, Will It Take Me Under demonstrates a family’s
triumphant struggle to get back the peace they lost and the struggle of
a young woman trying to find the right path. This convincing novel takes
you into the world of its characters and you won’t want to put it down!
The grande dame of African American
cookbooks stakes her claim as a culinary historian with a narrative
history of African American cuisine.
Acclaimed cookbook author Jessica B. Harris has spent much of her life
researching the food and foodways of the African Diaspora. High on the
Hog is the culmination of years of her work, and the result is a most
engaging history of African American cuisine. Harris takes the reader on
a harrowing journey from Africa across the Atlantic to America, tracking
the trials that the people and the food have undergone along the way.
From chitlins and ham hocks to fried chicken and vegan soul, Harris
celebrates the delicious and restorative foods of the African American
experience and details how each came to form such an important part of
African American culture, history, and identity. Although the story of
African cuisine in America begins with slavery, High on the Hog
ultimately chronicles a thrilling history of triumph and survival. The
work of a masterful storyteller and an acclaimed scholar, Jessica B.
Harris's High on the Hog fills an important gap in our culinary history.
Praise for Jessica B. Harris
"Jessica Harris masters the ability to both educate and inspire the
reader in a fascinating new way." -Marcus Samuelsson, chef owner of
Restaurant Aquavit
Jessica B. Harris is the author of eleven
cookbooks documenting the foods and foodways of the African Diaspora,
including The Africa Cookbook and The Welcome Table, and has written and
lectured widely about the culture of Africa in the Americas. A professor
at Queens College, CUNY, she also consults at Dillard University in New
Orleans, where she founded the Institute for the Study of Culinary
Cultures. She was recently inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s
Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. Harris lives in New York
City, New Orleans, and on Martha’s Vineyard.
The civil rights and black power movements expanded popular
awareness of the history and culture of African Americans. But, as
Stephen Hall observes, African American authors, intellectuals,
ministers, and abolitionists had been writing the history of the
black experience since the 1800s. With this book, Hall recaptures
and reconstructs a rich but largely overlooked tradition of
historical writing by African Americans.
Hall charts the origins, meanings, methods, evolution, and
maturation of African American historical writing from the period of
the Early Republic to the twentieth-century professionalization of
the field of historical study. He demonstrates how these works
borrowed from and engaged with mainstream intellectual movements
including the Enlightenment, Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism.
Hall also explores the creation of discursive spaces that
simultaneously reinforced and offered counternarratives to more
mainstream historical discourse. He sheds fresh light on the
influence of the African Diaspora on the development of historical
study. In so doing, he provides a holistic portrait of African
American history informed by developments within and outside the
African American community.
Kennedy Logan is too ashamed to reveal the truth about her steamy
relationship with hot, insatiable Drake—his sweet lies and hellacious
lovemaking—to anyone except her private diary . . .
True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks
Twenty-eight year old Kennedy Logan is gorgeous, educated, talented, and
in love. Unfortunately, Drake Collins has other ideas about the true
state of their relationship. Kennedy hopes to turn him around; Drake
just wants to turn her out sexually. Kennedy is also searching for her
biological mother, who gave her up at birth. She wants answers and she
has tons of questions. The enormous weight of these predicaments leads
to a failed suicide attempt.
Her overprotective and overbearing mother, Dorothy Logan, moves in with
Kennedy and makes it her mission to get her daughter's life back in
order. The first step is getting rid of Drake Collins once and for all,
but that's easier said than done. Drake has no intentions of going
anywhere. Kennedy's ever loyal and fun-loving best friend, Taylor, and
her absentee father join forces to help support Kennedy in her time of
need.
At her psychiatrist's advice, Kennedy uses writing as her therapy. She
starts to keep a daily journal detailing the erotic circumstances and
family drama that led up to her despair. Through very personal, funny,
and graphic entries, readers will share her confessions. Brace
yourselves for a very steamy journey!
About the Author
Electa Rome Parks lives outside Atlanta, Georgia and is the bestselling
author of six acclaimed novels, The Ties That Bind, Loose Ends, Almost
Doesn't Count, Ladies' Night Out, These Are My Confessions (anthology)
and Diary of a Stalker. Electa is currently working on her next novel
and first screenplay.
New York Times bestselling author Carl
Weber takes readers back to church, where preaching isn’t always enough,
nothing goes better with the Word than a song—and it’s time for some
hard-earned lessons in love, brotherhood, and betrayal.
Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries
a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal,
attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection
plates, Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic
Aaron Mackie, to revive the church.
Aaron Mackie had been waiting his entire life for the opportunity to
prove that he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director like
Kirk Franklin. But while Aaron is more than up to the challenge, his
ways around women, both past and present, could cost him more than his
job.
Simone Wilcox is just one of the women who’s caught Aaron’s attention.
She’s smart, beautiful and sexy, along with being a highly respected
church trustee. She’s got her eye on the new choir director, with the
intention of having a lot more on him, and she doesn’t plan on letting
anyone get in her way.
First Lady Monique Wilson is far from being the typical first lady. She
does and says what she wants, and doesn’t subscribe to church politics.
Despite her shortcomings and a past rumored to include a long list of
men, she’s willing to do just about anything to protect the Bishop.
The members of First Jamaica Ministries are also keeping the Bishop busy
with choir in-fighting, romantic jealousies, and personal vendettas.
You’d think the Bishop was being tested enough, but a final piece of the
puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church
blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for
comfort. . . .
CARL WEBER is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
novels and short stories. A life-long reader, Weber wanted to write
stories about ordinary people who have crazy things happen in their
lives. Now, when he’s not connecting with readers through his books and
his two book store chains, Urban Knowledge and Beach Reads, Weber is
finding new talent for his publishing company, Urban Books. He graduated
from Virginia State University with a bachelor’s in accounting and has
an MBA in marketing from the University of Virginia. Readers can visit
Carl’s website, www.carlweber.net, and e-mail him at
urbanbooks@hotmail.com.
You know the one: a little bougie, a little opinionated, knows it all,
has it all, and is a total perfectionist. But Christina’s perfectly
crafted world isn’t really so perfect. Her third engagement fizzled
three days before the wedding, her family expects her to solve their
problems, and her friends are more than a little bit out of control. To
keep it all together, she dedicates herself to her work, because it’s
the one thing that won’t let her down. But when her latest assignment
leads her to sizzling hot professor Steven Williams, the one man who
sees through her efforts to outsmart and outmaneuver her way through
every situation, Christina can’t believe she’s falling for a man who may
be a key player in the scandal she’s investigating....
Praise for Michele Grant’s Heard It All Before “An exciting, sizzling page turner!” —Candice Dow
“Light and entertaining…totally believable and funny. Talented Grant
entices, captivates and mesmerizes. Job well done!” —Romantic Times
“A scorching debut… a pitch-perfect voice, delivering funny yet
believable stories embellished with a gusto that readers who enjoy Carl
Weber and Mary Monroe will relish.” —Publishers Weekly
“Cleverly and creatively written…. Highly spiced with boundless drama
and hilarious moments, the reader surely will be entertained.” —The
RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Michele Grant lives to read and reads to live. When not hard at work on
her next novel, Michele is planning her next tropical getaway. Learning
to prepare new cuisines, cultivating purple roses, and finding the
perfect pair of high-heeled slingbacks are a few of her favorite
pastimes. Michele is a native of Dallas, Texas. Readers can visit her
online at
www.michelegrant.net and
www.blacknbougie.com and email her at Michele@michelegrant.net. She
can be found on Facebook: MicheleGrantAuthor and Twitter: MGrantAuthor.
She loves to hear from her readers!
“An ultra-sexy page-turner.” --De’nesha Diamond, author of Hustlin’
Divas
Her past is back to haunt her—and it’s hotter than ever…
On the brink of a major promotion, Tamia Luke is within reach of the
glitzy life she’s always dreamed of—until her client, Dominic Archer,
blackmails her into becoming his mistress, threatening to reveal her
scandalous past. Tamia has no choice but to submit to his demands. But
the tables turn when her hostility towards Dominic is replaced with
insatiable lust. No man—including her boyfriend—has ever satisfied her
the way he does. And as her infatuation grows, the closer she comes to
losing everything—including her life.
“Exposed is sexy, scandalous, and suspenseful. I enjoyed the
drama-filled ride and didn't want it to end.” --Meesha Mink, author of
Real Wifeys: On The Grind
NAOMI CHASE went from chasing stories as a newspaper reporter in Texas
to weaving juicy thrillers spun from her own naughty imagination. Like
the real-life dramas she once chronicled, her novels are sure to deliver
enough sex, scandal, and suspense to leave readers breathless. Visit her
online at
www.naomichase.com.
From R&B songs to the hair salon, if you listen long enough you’ll hear
women venting, gushing or chatting with their girlfriends and the topic
of conversation is most often relationships. It’s almost as if as each
word is released into the atmosphere power is obtained, clarity
increases and peace settles in. Just knowing someone has heard their
voice and can relate, suddenly everything makes sense.
What if the heart could speak? What would it say? What if there was a
prescription that worked just as well? Well L.C. Arrington has written
the prescription, in her new book entitled “Prescriptions of a Poet:
Remedies of the Heart”. To experience life is to experience all that
comes with it, the balance of occurrence and lesson learned. This poetry
collection is about love lost and found, friends old and new and the
definition of self; told in a contemporary, honest, edgy, genuine and
relatable way.
Ms. Arrington has had a love for poetry since a very young age. Over the
years she has had numerous speaking engagements, performed spoken word
at local venues, contributed as a freelance writer for online magazines.
She wrote this book in hopes to stir the soul and touch the heart. She
wanted to write something that was positive and uplifting in the midst
of troubles of life and love. The Poetry is the process; the
prescription is the remedy for the heart.
Grandmother Ma Ray, a churchgoing woman with a
mysterious past, steers her two reckless granddaughters away from
trouble with her smarts, savvy—and the Word of God…
Troublesome teen sisters Sahara and Crystal Nichols are acting up, and
their risqué behavior is more than their mother Lenora can handle. Enter
the girls’ 75-year-old churchgoing grandmother, Ma Ray, who agrees to
take charge of the young women. She’s determined to turn their lives
around—and knows more about being a bad girl than either sister
bargained for…
Sahara and Crystal don’t realize what they’re up against when it comes
to Ma Ray, but when they learn of their grandmother’s former rebel
antics, which were wild enough to rival their own, they begin to
appreciate her present-day passion for leading a more productive
life—via family, love, and faith…
“Vanessa’s rich stories of faith in action always hit the writing
trifecta—they make you laugh, cry, and yearn for more.” —Angela Benson,
National Bestselling Author
“Vanessa is a superb storyteller.” —ReShonda Tate Billingsley
She Makes A Move For His Heart… He’s hot and he’s single, but Antonio Billups has been out of the
dating game for three years. Since his wife died, his focus has been on
his business—and their son A.J. Enter new-in-town sultry, sexy Serena
Jacobs, a woman who just might inspire Antonio to change his mind about
being alone…
That His Body Can’t Resist… Serena’s new restaurant is about to take off, and so is her heart—to
Antonio. But events from her past are about to hit the fan—with a little
help from Antonio’s scheming sister-in-law. Soon, Hollywood catfights
and long-ago love affairs threaten the steamy relationship between
Antonio and Serena, and when their secret histories collide, they must
choose between a future with—or without—love…
“Hodges delivers a sizzling romance…” --Publishers Weekly on More Than
He Can Handle
The most anticipated sequel of 2010...has readers drooling from the
mouth! In Dirty Divorce Part 1...the Sanchez family ended with a bang.
Lisa, Rich, and Denie all fought treacherously to escape a harsh death
sentence. Only time will tell who had the heart to survive. Dirty
Divorce part 2 starts off with drama and violence as Rich learns that
his son, Juan is dominating an industry where he used to be top dog.
After grinding all his life, the fast money, and numerous women land
Rich in a place where his only son has turned against him. For the first
time in Rich's life, money can't solve the problem....and it certainly
can't keep the ruthless, Renzo off his ass. Just when Rich thinks Lisa
will take everything in their final divorce proceeding, his life may
soon be ending too...Beware!!
BIO
Miss KP began writing in high school as an outlet to express her
emotions as a teenager. She would write poetry and has even written
unpublished songs. However, after feeling as if she had much more to
say, she decided to purchase a laptop and began working on her first
novel, which we now know as Dirty Divorce, Part 1.
Just months after a good friend introduced her to publisher, Azarel;
Miss KP’s dreams came true. She became a published author with the Life
Changing Books (L.C.B) family with a #1 hit behind her name. Along with
being an author, Miss KP works in the fashion industry as a Merchandise
Manager in prominent department store. A native Washingtonian, Miss KP
currently resides in Maryland with her eight year old daughter, and is
awaiting the release of her second and most anticipated novel of 2010,
The Dirty Divorce- Part 2.
Snitch is a sexy, urban tale that will make you think twice
about who you can trust. It all begins with Cesar Lopez aka Drape, a
savvy go-getter who thinks he’s on top of the world. He has no plans of
relinquishing his crown as King Pen of the Streets; but the love of his
life Diona has a different agenda. The dope game becomes a gamble when
fast money, sex, and violence all collide and the chips fall hard. Love,
trust, and loyalty are tested in this wild tale of sex and deception.
Eventually, Drape’s back is against the wall and classified information
gets exposed. Who will be this hustler’s downfall?
Beautiful and
brilliant Adana Terrell is a no-nonsense litigator who’s nearly given up
on happily ever after. But while on vacation in breathtaking Nairobi,
Kenya, she encounters a man who just might change her mind—if only he
wasn’t as stubborn as she is…
Until their hearts gave them no choice…
Ruggedly handsome and fabulously wealthy
lawyer Kamau Mazrui is facing his own demons—and falling for a
headstrong woman is not in his plans. He and Adana lock horns
immediately, yet Kamau can hardly resist the stunning woman’s intensity
and passion—though he is determined to try…
Praise for
Chilufiya Safaa
"...sure to please fans of Francis Ray and Gwynne Forster." --Booklist
on The Art of Love
"An
enchanting and heartwarming love story." --The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers on
Passionate Encounters
Chilufiya Safaa
is an educator and an entrepreneur. Her passions are her children and
her grandchildren, traveling, studying other cultures, listening to a
variety of styles of music, good theater, and good conversation. She
lives in Tennessee.
Accustomed to a life of luxury, Shannon
Marshall is devastated to lose everything after her husband, Todd, is
sent to prison for gun running. So when Todd plans the ultimate stickup
from behind bars, Shannon’s ready to put her neck on the line. But
she’ll have to pull off the hustle of a lifetime and play one dangerous
gangster who always gets what he wants…
DE’NESHA DIAMOND
DEA Agent Jordan Hayes
has vowed to never walk in her ex-con father’s footsteps. Suspecting her
father is planning another robbery, she begins keeping close tabs on him
and his crony—sexy gangster Keston Bishop. Jordan
soon becomes addicted to the danger that radiates from Keston like
street candy as she takes part in a daring theft that could cost her
everything...
“Kiki captures the
heat of the streets.” —Wahida Clark
“Diamond tells it like it is.” —Publishers Weekly on
Heartbreaker
Thanks to her
mega-successful new husband, Omar, Sinclair Fines has a glittering
celebrity lifestyle that’s splashed all over tabloids and gossip blogs
everywhere. But this sexy one-time Detroit native has a sizzling need
Omar just can’t satisfy. So when Sinclair’s not-quite-ex-husband Kwame
gets out of the pen and shows up with blackmail in mind, Sinclair can’t
resist paying him off—out of bed and between the sheets …
CAN LOSE IT ALL
…Until Kwame demands
more cash flow—and anytime-anywhere access. And since there’s no way
Sinclair will let him send her back to the projects and dollar-store
shoes, she’ll do anything to get rid of Kwame for good. But Sinclair is
about to learn that one play too many is the surest way to lose…
“Ann Christopher…will leave you captivated
and breathless.” —Brenda Jackson, New York Times Bestselling Author
A woman caught in a killer’s crosshairs…
Criminal defense attorney Amara Clarke’s
only mistake is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now she
finds herself running from a threat she doesn’t understand—with Jack
Parker, a mysterious man she barely knows and can’t trust.
…The man who’ll do anything to protect her.
Amara doesn’t know that Jack is a DEA
agent in hiding, evading death threats from the kingpin he helped
convict. The last thing Jack wants is to endanger her by letting her get
too close, and he swore long ago there’d be no more collateral damage in
his war against the kingpin. But when fate throws her in his path,
Jack’s cover is blown wide open. Soon he and Amara are in a fight to
survive, pursued by a criminal who doesn’t care how many people he kills
in his relentless quest for vengeance…
Praise for the novels of Ann Christopher
“Trouble is a sultry romance...” —The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
“A brilliant and tasteful novel about love, tragedy, heartbreak and
forgiveness.” —Romantic Times on Risk
Following her debut "Stones Along The Path, Part 1 & 2," Atkerson's
unbridled talent has spun another tantalizing, visceral, and unflinching
tale. The nation's tumultuous Civil Rights Movement of the 60's
coupled with the fitful, unmanageable crispation of the kudzu vines,
common in Atlanta, Georgia, prove to be a captivating setting for the
novel’s heroine, Shelby Reed.
The reader accompanies Shelby from an unwanted daughter in Chicago to
her shipment to relatives in Atlanta, Georgia. The enmity between Shelby
and her mother in Chicago only begs for a better life for her in
Atlanta. Her childhood through motherhood is truthfully and poignantly
laid bare in all its richness. She says, "I have spent my whole life
looking for love and craving acceptance," an apt reply is, "You
certainly did."
By way of prose that is lyrical and precise, the author breathes life
into an array of characters who are colorful, loveable, and at times
downright despicable, but never uninteresting. You will love Mom Moses,
who is the matriarch. She is well geared with a panoply of weapons to
defend and protect those she loves. Mr. Marshall, "Bubba," is a talented
and respected lawyer whose white skin at times does not adequately
restrain his black inner soul. Then, there's Andre. His dubious sexual
identity is confusing to everyone but himself. He knows he's a lady. His
glib retorts and mannerisms are great comical reliefs at just the right
time.
"Walking Among The Kudzu" is solidly packed with anguish, pathos,
unrequited love, humor, and the supernatural. What about the kudzu vine?
Early on, Shelby is told, "They have a mind of their own. They grow
wild… just like us." Walking Among The Kudzu" is no leisurely stroll,
it's a multi-tiered romp!
Review by S. Lawrence Wright
Philadelphia Community College, English Department
“Kiki captures the heat of the streets.” —Wahida Clark
Kira’s ready
to shed her old life—but trouble has a way of always finding her…
Kira’s had enough
drama, and the only way she’s going to make a new start is by moving
to Houston with her cousin Nikki. Though Nikki might be in a
different hood, she’s still up to her old sheisty ways—looking for
the sugar daddy who will help her crawl out from under Kira’s
shadow. And when Kira falls in love with Fatu, an extremely wealthy
Nigerian club owner, Nikki will do whatever it takes to break them
up. Because it’s her turn to be wifey…
PRAISE
FOR KIKI SWINSON AND HER NOVELS
“Kiki Swinson
is unstoppable…Kiki always delivers a sizzling read.”
—Essence®
bestselling author Crystal Lacey Winslow
“After reading The Candy Shop, all I could say was
scandalous!”—K’wan,
bestselling author of Gutter and Still Hood
Sensible single mother Patricia “Peaches” Miller isn’t about to
follow in her mama’s footsteps and become dependent on a man—no,
that would be too easy. But when she doesn’t see eye to eye with the
man she wants to marry, she knows that returning to a life of girls’
nights out, retail therapy, and chocolate peanut clusters just won’t
do for her. Then Raphael, her son’s father, steps back into the
picture—and makes it clear that his attraction to Peaches is
stronger than ever. There’s just one problem. Raphael has already
pledged his heart to another woman.
Peaches has been praying for a perfect family for a long time. Deep
down she knows this can’t be God’s idea of an answer—but can you
blame a girl for hoping? Now, as she battles with temptation, and
with her faith, she’s not sure which will win…
“Michelle
Stimpson does a wonderful job of creating characters that are
believable and loveable. The Divas of Damascus Road will make
you laugh, cry and laugh some more.” —Good Girl
Book Club
“A nonstop,
hard-hitting page-turner.” —Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker
In the first
book of a fierce new series, meet Memphis’ hardest ride or die
chicks as they fight along with their infamous men to lock down the
Dirty South.
Memphis is the
crime capital of America, and no one knows that better than the
women born and raised in its mean streets. It’s put sisters Ta’Shara
and LeShelle on opposite sides of the street game, where blood means
nothing and loyalty doesn’t last long. It’s also got Yolanda, an
ambitious drug mule, and Melanie, a police detective, caught up with
the same man—the notorious hustler Python. These four women think
they’ve got the game figured out, but the one man they have in
common will have them living double lives and wondering who will
come out on top. Forget what you heard about East Coast/West Coast,
’cause real vendettas are born in the Dirty South.
Award winning and Essence magazine
bestselling author Jihad is back with his long awaited eighth book,
PREACHERMAN BLUES II.
This nationally renowned writer and motivational speaker has won
award after award for his thought provoking novels, STREETLIFE,
BABYGIRL, RIDING RHYTHM, MVP, PREACHERMAN BLUES, WILD CHERRY, THE
SURVIVAL BIBLE: 16 Life Lessons for Young Black Men, and now the
book everyone has been waiting for PREACHERMAN BLUES II. He’s
been called the king of street fiction, the Kanye West, Mos Def and
Common Sense of the literary industry. Embark on another journey
with Jihad as he educates and entertains with his unique style of
writing.
Bishop TJ Money is back, but so is Cherry
Bishop TJ Money has never made it a secret that he gets what he
wants, when he wants, and by any means necessary. He has no problem
robbing, stealing, and killing, to protect his holier-than-thou
image. So the offer to succeed the first black US president is too
tempting to resist. Who cares if the anonymous donors pushing his
campaign were behind the mysterious death of the president? TJ is
only focused on all the money and power the new position can bring.
But what
Bishop Money and his new partners don’t account for is the power of
the black woman - four of them to be exact. All of whom TJ has
wronged at one point or the other during his rise to megastardom.
And just as determined as Bishop TJ Money is to make his new home in
the White House, these women will stop at nothing to keep that from
happening.
In the
riveting sequel to the best-selling Preacherman Blues, things aren't
what they seem and one man's quest to get whatever he wants could
cost him the ultimate price.
Please support PREACHERMAN BLUES II as Jihad
again takes you on a rollercoaster ride filled with drama and
socio-conscious messages. Preacherman Blues II is sure to leave you
more breathless than his other books. Log onto
www.jihadwrites.com and order your discounted copy of
PREACHERMANBLUES II today.
For Donald W. Tucker, life from the get-go was a two-edged sword—a
“damned if you do/ damned if you don’t” black & white shades &
wing-tips jungle existence of
working the streets of Southside Chicago undercover (“with no
cover”) as a Federal narcotics and Secret Service agent. Tucker was
quick, sharp and street smart.
The Two-Edged Sword is a grim, gutsy, raw in-your-face first-hand
account of what it was like to be Black and work as an undercover
agent for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now called the DEA), and
United States Secret Service from 1961-1990—some of the toughest
years in this country’s history of Civil Rights.
Tucker’s life story reads like a best-selling 007 whodunit, more
fiction than fact—yet all of it really happened.
“Too many times the risks were far greater than anticipated, but I
was young and dumb,” writes Tucker. “I didn’t know what I was doing
until I felt a .45 slammed against my head.
When your life is a two-edged sword, you learn to tread carefully or
to live with the consequences. This gritty, first-hand account tells
what it was like to be black and work as an undercover agent for the
Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the DEA) and U.S. Secret Service
during the civil rights movement and beyond. Tucker rose through the
ranks to become one of this country’s foremost Federal Law
Enforcement Administrators and reformers.
The Two-Edged Sword tells Tucker’s story starting with growing up on
the Southside of Chicago to his work as an undercover agent for the
Chicago Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the discrimination he faced.
As the shadow of Hurricane Katrina looms, Simon Fortier knows how he
plans to face the storm—in his long-time home in the city's Treme
neighborhood, just as he did through so many storms before. But when
Katrina's waters rise and the city’s broken levees cause devastating
floods, Simon disappears.
It is up to his son Julian, a celebrated but down-on-his-luck trumpeter, to
find him. Julian rushes home to the city he left years before, to search for
a father with whom he'd been on difficult terms over preparing for the
hurricane. Julian’s return to New Orleans brings him back in touch with
figures from his past, loves and enemies both, and as his search for Simon
takes him to the rural plot where Simon grew up, Julian is drawn deep into
its troubles. While he tries to come to grips with his father's likely fate
and struggles to regain his trumpet chops, Julian slowly gains a deeper,
richer understanding of the father with whom he'd been at odds.
Wading Home is an important book about one of America’s most
important cities, veiled in the form of a captivating page-turner. Lyrical,
accessible, compelling, and populated by a broad, fully realized cast of
supporting characters, its timeless story tells how this son strives to save
his father: shaken to the core by the devastation of a city, he discovers
the true meaning of home, family, and history.
Its recent selection to the Essence Book Club for the month of November
solidifies Wading Home’s status as one of the most powerful
post-Katrina New Orleans novels; one that truly captures the full scope of
the storm’s impact both on the city and the people within it.
Cartier
Timmons and Monya White were born to teenage mothers who were
also best friends. At 15, Cartier formed her own crew aptly
named the Cartier Cartel. The main and only vision of the crew;
Cartier, Monya, Bam, Lil Momma, and Shanine was to do petty
crimes in order to wear the flyest gear. While Monya loves boys,
clothes, and money (in that order), Cartier is tired of the
petty boosting to keep a few dollars in her pockets.
Always wise beyond her years,
Cartier observes how the corner boys hustle drugs and figures
her crew could do the same. Cartier realizes too late that her
and her crew are in more trouble than they can handle. Once a
rival drug-hustler gets murdered, Cartier's Cartel will need to
make a life-altering decision.
Emily Snow and Samantha Baldwin are best friends who happen to
be complete opposites. Emily’s a “good girl” who plays by the
rules and does all the right things. Samantha’s a wild rebel,
not necessarily with a cause, who does whatever she wants
without a second thought. Yet, despite their glaring differences
they share an unwavering bond that ties them closer than any two
blood sisters could ever be. But their long-standing friendship
is tested when Emily acts upon the one thing her heart has
always secretly desired…Samantha’s father!
In her riveting new novel, The Skin I’m In, Jenelle uses
fictional characters to highlight an issue within the black
community: skin tone.
Asia Washington is a dark-skinned black girl growing up in
Brooklyn, N.Y. When she graduates high school, she moves in with
her aunt, Lonnie, who is more like a sister to her because of
their proximity in age. Trying to escape her father’s strict
rules, Asia settles in with Lonnie and begins to make a life for
herself.
When Asia meets jazz musician Arthur Greer, she falls in love
instantly and the couple move in together after a year of
dating. After several months, Asia becomes pregnant. She’s
ecstatic and fervently hopes for a son. Unfortunately, she has a
daughter and is not pleased – to say the least. Jenelle writes:
The problem was that Asia didn’t particularly care for little
girls. She didn’t hate them, she just couldn’t relate to them.
When the doctor told her that she’d given birth to a beautiful
seven pound two ounce baby girl, Asia looked as if she’d just
been told she had the plague. And when she first held her,
looking down at this beautiful little girl with the light skin
and the curly black hair, Asia cried for hours. As a matter of
fact she cried for damn near two weeks after she came home from
the hospital.
Naming the little girl Imani, Asia assumes that the child’s
light skin will darken as she grows older. Much to her dismay,
this never happens and over time Asia pays less and less
attention to her beautiful daughter, harboring a strong
resentment over her light skin. Every time she looks at Imani,
all Asia can see is a reminder of all the people who had picked
on her and harassed her for her dark skin, particularly in high
school.
The Skin I’m In follows Asia, Imani and Lonnie throughout the
years. Jenelle weaves the details of their lives with a social
commentary on racial disparities within the black community.
Readers will identify with a relatable cast of supporting
characters and find themselves drawn in by their stories. Follow
them as they learn to love themselves for who they are in the
pages of The Skin I’m In.
Jenelle is the youngest of five children and was born and raised
in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1988, she relocated to Silver Spring, Md.,
where she still resides today. Jenelle works as an accounts
payable assistant for a major newspaper. The Skin I’m In is her
first book, and she is currently at work on Sylvia’s Boys, to be
released in summer 2010. And Words And Music, to be released in
spring of 2011.
Karen White-Owens’s
compelling tale of love, loyalty, and the law, spans the
continents as an irresistible Frenchman turns the life of an
ambitious young woman upside down…
Making it as a hotshot legal
eagle takes smarts, savvy—and acceptance to a prestigious law
school. That’s exactly what independent beauty Tia Edwards has
when she’s hit with a thunderbolt on her way up the professional
ladder—a request from her boss to help Christophe Jensen, a
charismatic new attorney from France, feel right at home…
Sparks fly when the two first
meet, yet both are wary of taking things to the next level. But
when Tia catches her man with someone else, she lets her
connection with Christophe heat up. Happier than she’s ever
been, complications arise when Christophe is summoned back to
France. Suddenly, the best time of Tia’s life starts falling
apart, as she’s forced to choose between her family and her
future—with a man whose home is on the other side of the
ocean...
“When the sun goes down on my life, you’ll all come apart like
ripped balloons.”
When stingy self-made millionaire and widower Leon Farrell dies,
he leaves behind a legacy of family dysfunction—and a missing
will. It’s soon clear that his three grown children, Edgar,
Gunther, and Shirley, don’t handle loss well—the possible loss
of a fortune, that is. And when Edgar hires a private
investigator to track down the will, it’s just the beginning of
a search that will lead the siblings to re-visit their
childhoods, uncover buried secrets, and ultimately learn for
themselves what it means to be a family. For as tensions
escalate between the brothers—with their peace-keeping sister
caught in the middle—an unexpected conflict of interest is
brewing that will shock them all—and either bring them closer
together or tear them apart for good…
Praise for the Novels of Gwynne Forster
“Wise and wonderful as it points out, once again, the importance
of honesty and appreciating what you have while you have it.”
—Publishers Weekly on A Different Kind of Blues
“Touching, thought-provoking, and will make you think twice
about ever keeping secrets from the one you love.” —Kimberla
Lawson Roby, New York Times bestselling author on If You Walked
in My Shoes
Essence® bestselling author Daaimah S. Poole delivers an
outrageously sexy tale of three women out to marry rich. And
they don’t just want half—they want it all …
Life as a pro athlete’s baby mama isn’t bringing in the big
money Adrienne Sheppard expected. Now she’s determined to get
wifed… Young Zakiya Lee will do anything to escape living with
her troubled sister… Tanisha Butler needs to redeem her one
mistake—and reclaim her man… And sports reporter Cherise Long
has a “no athletes” romance rule. But as different as these
women are, they can’t resist the same temptation: to win the
ultimate gold ring…
Soon Zakiya is pregnant by the NBA’s hottest new draft pick—but
the pressures of 24/7 fame are driving her to the brink. The
superstar Tanisha left behind is playing the field. And the NFL
pro Cherise gave her heart to is trapped into marrying his
greedy baby mama: Adrienne…and Adrienne will do whatever it
takes to keep him. Now all four women will find that the price
of wealth is higher than they expected…
Praise for Somebody Else’s Man
"A definite must read." --Candice Dow
Praise for A Rich Man’s Baby
“Colorful…if you love scandal, this is the book for you!” --Anna
J
“Everything that glitters damn sure ain’t gold in Daaimah’s new
delivery of drama!” --Miasha
Lonnie, a strong, independent, career-minded sista isn’t one for
drama or unnecessary bull. In fact, she’s not even sure if having a
man in her life is worth the trouble it can cause. However, when she
meets John, everything changes, and her comfortable life as a single
career woman goes flying out the window. She’s in love, and things
couldn’t be better.
Then all hell breaks loose.
The man who seemed like her dream come true soon becomes the
nightmare she can’t wake up from. John’s sexcapades with the hood
rat of the month soon turn from casual to serious, and Lonnie kicks
him to the curb to refocus on herself and her career.
But drama rears its ugly head yet again when it shows up at her job.
Lonnie goes from the put-together woman in charge to a petty,
dramatic diva, and soon, she doesn’t recognize herself. Will she be
able to pull it together before she loses everything, or has she
been marked with the curse of Drama With a Capital D?
BIO:
Denise was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey where she still
resides. Denise attended Woodrow Wilson High School, The Kane
Business Institute and Camden County College where she consistently
remained on the Dean’s list.
In a city stricken with strife and poverty, Denise has raised four
children who continue to make strides in their own lives because of
their mother’s positive influence.
As a young girl Denise discovered her love of the written word. This
passion grew as she grew. It was during an African American
Literature class at CCC that she decided that being an avid reader
was no longer enough to satisfy her. She began writing short stories
for her own pleasure, which led to her branching out to full length
novels.
With the smell of burning wood and bricks lingering in the cool
morning breeze, Johnnie Wise left New Orleans while her home was
still smoldering. She had just been acquitted of murdering Sharon
Trudeau, one of her former stocker brokers who had stolen a
substantial amount of her nest egg. Broke with nothing but the
clothes on her back and the shoes on her feet, Johnnie heads to East
St. Louis to live with her father. But as fate would have it, car
trouble along the way, forces her to stop in Jackson, Mississippi,
where she meets handsome Paul Masterson, a roughneck evangelistic
preacher who falls for her. Johnnie doesn't know that Earl Shamus is
having her followed. Private Detective, Tony Hatcher, is watching
her every move and reporting it all back to Earl, who dreams of
being a big part of her life again. Will Johnnie give into the
trappings of being a kept woman who wants for nothing? Or, will she
reject his offer and try to rebuild her fortune the old-fashioned
way?
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Keith Lee Johnson is the author of 11
novels including the Little Girl Lost series, all of which are
currently in the Black Expressions top 100. He began writing purely
by accident when a literature professor unwittingly challenged his
ability to tell a credible story in class one day. He picked up a
pen that very day and has been writing ever since. Upon graduating
from high school in June 1978, Johnson joined the United States Air
Force the following September and attained a Top Secret security
clearance. His articles have been featured in Insight Magazine.
After turning down an offer from Urban Books to continue the Little
Girl Lost series, he opened his own house, Dare To Imagine
Publishing, and has plans to publish the series himself for the
foreseeable future. The Return of Johnnie Wise is the first release,
but it won't be the last. Be on the look out for Johnnie Wise: In
the Line of Fire in the fall of 2010. He has plans to start a line
of novels titled: The Men of the Little Girl Lost series early 2011.
Ladies, are you stuck in a revolving door of
disappointing relationships? Are you settling for a love that is
less than you deserve? Is your present relationship really the best
that you can do? A better question is, “Is this the best that God
has for you?”
Some ladies may be waiting on God for the man of their dreams but
what does a God-sent man look like, anyway, and what does it take
for you to position yourself for Mr. Right?
Others feel that love has betrayed and even eluded them. Some have
suffered a lost love. Can Love really love again? There are so many
questions that require answers. Thankfully, the book “Handfuls of
Purpose” provides answers to some of these heartfelt inquiries.
The book takes the reader on a journey through various seasons in
the lives of three ordinary people: Ruth, the widow from Moab,
Naomi, the distraught matriarch of a household decimated by death
and Boaz, the wealthy landowner from Bethlehem-judah. While each has
his/her own paths to navigate in order to fulfill God's purpose in
their individual lives, by the end of the book, the reader discovers
how the destinies of these three coalesce and reveal an
extraordinary, composite Divine plan greater than each could have
realized on his/her own.
Witness Ruth redefining herself, leaving her old life and seizing
for herself a new life, a new love and a new legacy. Follow Naomi's
tragic, treacherous and tearful journey as it unfolds to eventually
culminate in a rediscovered purpose and a renewed hope. Note the
steadfastness of the humble husbandman Boaz and how the traits that
he had developed through a lifetime of patient maturation helped him
to become a fitting choice as Ruth’s husband as well as the heir to
an enduring legacy.
Zebedee King currently works as a Principle Network Security
Engineer for a large international corporation. He is an Air Force
retiree whose career began as a Russian linguist and finally
concluded in the areas of communications, computers and network
defense. He and his wife Linda have been blessed with two amazing
daughters. Their oldest is married to a wonderful, godly man and has
recently given Zeb and Linda their first grandchild. Zeb is also an
ordained minister. He received his calling to teach God’s word at a
very young age. Born into families in which faith was the order of
the day, both Zeb and Linda have been heavily involved in all facets
of ministry, especially in the areas of teaching, mentoring and
people-helping. Their love for God and their passion for bringing
out the best in God’s people remain the driving force behind their
ministry. They have occupied themselves with writing several
articles on relationships for a Christian women’s magazine and for
years they have conducted leadership conferences, marriage seminars
and retreats. They currently lead a couples’ small group within
their local assembly in San Antonio.
Dating a hustler was never on Naheema’s to-do list. But after
the charming yet deceptive Mike sweeps her off her feet, dating a
hustler is the least of her worries. Mike’s charming sweetness
toward Naheema turns sour when the abuse, cheating, and his street
mentality kicks in. The life of a hustler’s woman takes its toll on
Naheema physically, mentally, and emotionally, taking her from a
fairy tale to a horror flick. But Naheema is learning from the best,
and soon the tables turn and she holds Mike’s future in her hands.
Filled with action, grief, friendship, family ties, and the ultimate
betrayal, You Showed Me exhibits what it means to be tried, be
tested, and triumph.
BIO Nahisha McCoy is married with
three beautiful sons residing in Brooklyn, New York, and is
attending college to finish her Bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration. She volunteers with many community-based programs as
well as runs a Double Dutch program for the youth within her
community. She’s also a Peace officer for the State of New York.
From the author of Sweet Georgia Brown and In Love with a
Younger Man comes the story of three very different sisters each
facing life’s challenges.
Three Estranged Sisters…One
Special Reunion
Alicia Day wants one thing—to become
an A-list actress. Instead, she’s stuck in the direct-to-DVD world.
But that’s about to change.
Hope Teasdale has been married
twice. She had a child with her first husband, but found love with
her second. His tragic death leaves her with questions, and the
truth might be more than she can handle.
Heaven Jetter is
trying to get her life on track. But she needs some help, and she’s
not about to get it from her sister, Hope. Will the half sister she
finds on Facebook be her answer?
An earth-shattering
discovery, a lucky lottery ticket, and a near-fatal encounter bring
these three estranged sisters together for one special reunion.
Reckless
Natural
Born Liar
Ada's Rules: A
Sexy Skinny Novel
Payback
Ain't Enough
Coca
Kola: The Baddest Chick
Taking
Care of Business
Boyfriend
Season: Cali Boys
Scandals
When
Rain Falls
Deception
One Way Or Another
On
the Flip Side
Kosher
Kill
Wealthy
& Wicked
The Stalker
Chronicles 
Guilty
by Association
Ruth’s
Redemption
For Lovers Only
Keeping Secrets
Telling Lies
Mama Ruby
101
Easy Ways To Lose A Good Man
Forever Soul
Ties
The Choir Director
Sheisty
Chicks
Another
One Night Stand
Street
Divas
Should
Have
Known
Better
Breaking
the Ties That Bind
Seaside
Stories
Dirty
Money
Honey
Mind
Your Own
Business
Torn
Between
Two
Lovers
Tears
of A
Hustler
3
Living
in the Pink 
Indigo
Redeeming
Waters
Back On Top
The Eternal
Engagement
Next
Door Nympho
The
Request
Darius
Jones
A Good
Excuse To Be Bad
Dirty
Divorce Part 3
Mistress
No More
Someone
To Watch Over Me
Black
Girl @ the Gay Channel
Mama Ruby 
God Ain't
Through Yet
Suspicions
Married
to A Balla
25
Success Principles: For Creating a Totally New You
Unexpected
Interruptions
Crush
One Night Stand
Bitter
More
Boy Than Girl
GLORY…THE
HAIR
All Up In My Business
Man
Enough For Me
Secrets
Unveiled
Silent
Knight
Life,
Will It Take Me Under!
High
on the Hog 
Sweet Little
Lies
Exposed
Prescriptions
of a Poet: Remedies of the Heart
Ray of Hope
His Sexy Bad Habit
Dirty Divorce
2
Snitch
Stay the Night
Heist
The Liar’s Club
Deadly Pursuit
Walking
Among the Kudzu
Still Wifey
Material
Last Temptation
Hustlin'
Divas
Preacherman
Blues II
The
Two-Edged Sword
Wading
Home: A Novel of New Orleans
Cartier
Cartel
Playing
the Hand You're Dealt
You're All
I Need
What's His
Is Mine
Drama
With a Capital D
Little
Girl Lost: The Return of Johnnie Wise
Handfuls
of Purpose
You
Showed Me
When
I Get to Where I'm Going
