Christian Author Showcase for Book Clubs

Black Authors Network Radio Show Hosts Christian Authors Reading Session
Listen below to today's most inspiring authors read live from their newly
released books. Some of the books aren't on the shelves yet!

Browse the EDC Creations Bookstore for the books showcased:
http://astore.amazon.com/edcmagazine-20



Authors Reading Schedule

Presentation: Sister Girl It's Not That Serious, Min. Celeste Kelley
Music: Russel Blake from the Quiet Strength CD
Music: A Better Place by June Rochelle

8-8:30pm EST (Fiction)--Victoria Christopher Murray
-- Marilynn Griffith
-- Pat G'Orge Walker
-- Pat Simmons
-- Kia Stokes


8:30-9:00pm EST (Fiction)
Music: God is Good by June Rochelle
-- Toyi Ward
-- Roishina C. Henderson
-- Monique Miller
-- Angela Benson


9:30-10:00pm EST (Non-Fiction)
Music: Beauty Designed by God by Stanice Anderson
-- Poetry by Russel Blake
-- Stanice Anderson
-- Paulette Harper
-- Cheryl L. Donovan
-- Tyora "Ty" Moody; upcoming blog tours


10:00-10:30 EST (Non-Fiction)
Sister Girl Series by Min. Celeste Kelley Narrative Exposition & Prayer
-- Sharon Norris Elliott
-- Min. Lamont Mclaurin
-- Sandra Hamer
-- Princess-`Odilia, SC


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Quiet Strength, CD by Russel Blake is available on iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon.com MP3 Downloads.

Play This, CD by June Rochelle is available on CD Baby, iTunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon.com MP3 Downloads.

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Russel Blake
Nearly everyone would agree that music is one of the most significant and enduring art forms ever created by mankind, though most people still view it primarily as entertainment. An astute few seem capable of looking beyond music's obvious entertainment value, and among these is bassist Russel Blake. He views music as both a tool for healing the spirit, and as a means of removing the cultural barriers which divide us, by serving as mankind's universal language.

Blake strives to convey this message not only through his music, but also through his words and actions. To Russel Blake, being a musician is a gift which carries with it a serious obligation.

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June Rochelle
June Rochelle kicked off 2008 in a big way by releasing her new CD "Play This" and gaining the attention of President elect Barack Obama's Campaign for Change where she was the headliner for one of their events in the state of Indiana that went from red to blue. Hollywood star Sanaa Lathan used her star power to plug the event in Indianapolis and the rest is of course history.


Thank you for listening,
Ella Curry, EDC Creations



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HONOR THY FATHER by Mozell Fleming

Father's Day Salute


HONOR THY FATHER
by author and poet Mozell Fleming

These words are meant to honor you because I understand, all the lessons you taught to me. To help me to become a man.

Often look back into our past and I marvel at the years gone by. How time has had so little effect of the vision of me in your eyes.

You’ve often had to navigate treacherous waves left in my wake. You’ve manned the bilge and held the line in hopes…I’d get it right this time.

You taught me all I needed to know. You believed in work, you let it show. You’ve done your part at every turn. Now Dad I say I’ve finally learned…

Life’s to short to throw away.

With time and love and money too you’ve done your part to see me, through. The best things I’ve learned, I’ve learned from you.

To you….I owe my existence my dreams. Like all great men you’ve overcame great things. As your blood and genes do flow in me I promise to make myself happy. And should my glow reflect on you…….I hope to make you happy too.

Thank you father, this is to honor you.


Mozell Fleming author of Arrivals Departures and Flights of Fancy
PublishAmerica, 2008


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Meet Jonathan Z Queen, Author-Motivational Speaker

Meet Jonathan Z Queen, Author/Motivational Speaker



Jonathan Z. Queen, the oldest of five children, was raised in an impoverished neighborhood in Harrisburg, PA by a struggling, single mother. He began using and selling drugs at the age of 14. At the age of 23 he was arrested for the third time, labeled a Career-Criminal and sentenced to 10 years in a Federal Prison.

During the last four years of his 9-year prison sentence, Jonathan completed over 18 months of criminal behavior and drug education programs. He subsequently volunteered for the 500-hour Residential Drug-Abuse Program, where he became a Peer Counselor, Sponsor and Board Member on the Education/Tutoring Committee. Jonathan graduated first in his RDAP class and has become well-versed in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), ABC’s of Rational Self Analysis, Criminal Thinking Errors, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Victim Impact and Assertive Communication.

Today, Jonathan Z. Queen is an author, motivational speaker, playwright, actor, director, and poet. He is the co-founder of New Mindz Enterprises and Vice President of Asikari Publishing, LLC. He is a contributor to The Q Review and an editor/columnist for NY Gospel Magazine. He is an ordained deacon at First Baptist Church of Lexington, Va and works as a Government Contract Manager at Sayre Enterprises Inc. where he also directs the employee GED program. More importantly, he is a devoted husband, faithful father and community leader. He was recently featured in the Federal Prison Industry 2008 Annual Report to Congress in an article entitled The Power of One Success.

Jonathan is also a member of The National Exhoodus Council (NEC); a nationwide campaign comprised of formerly incarcerated professionals; all are former members of the criminal/drug/gang culture who now manage community based organizations in 50 cities. Their motto is: Serving Our Country After Serving Our Time.

Mr. Queen is a very energetic, effective and inspirational speaker who specializes in interactive workshops that include spoken word, improvisations and role playing. His experience as a GED Tutor in four different Correctional Institutions has made him very knowledgeable about the correlation between illiteracy and how the drop-out rate affects the crime rate; he especially enjoys sharing his experiences with at-risk-youth.

Jonathan Z Queen is the new example.

Jonathan Z. Queen is available for speaking engagements, school assemblies, book signings, interviews, reading group discussions, seminars and workshops. Capability Statement available upon request. Email requests to: info@asikaripublishing.com

Contact Jonathan
Jonathan Z. Queen
Vice President, Asikari Publishing, LLC
Motivational Speaker / Author
540-460-8899 Mobile
717-914-0948 Office
www.asikaripublishing.com

"To be a servant of God, is to be a leader of men."


Are You S.A.N.E. (Setting A New Example)
Changing Who You Are by Changing How You Think
ISBN: 9780977334797

Don't Blame Me: The Convict Chronicles
ISBN: 9781434305640



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May Article Pearls: Did you miss...

If you missed some of the articles that came out in May, here are those jewels for you to explore at your leisure! Feel free to share the links with your list too.

Book Spotlight: When Lightning Strikes by Keya

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum

Black Book Clubs Rock Awards June 20, 2009

Black Pearl Spotlight: Marilynn Griffith

Mom’s the Word Book Tour - May 10-16, 2009

Victorious Magazine Launch Celebration!

Par for the Curse Blog Tour – May 25-29, 2009

Literary Leaders Spotlight for May 2009

Poetry Spotlight: Resilience By Dana Rettig



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News: What lies in the souls of men?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Peace In The Storm Publishing, LLC
Contact: Shayla Simone, Author & Public Relations
Post Office Box 1152
Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania 18346
www.PeaceintheStormPublishing.com, www.TheSoulofAMan.net
Email: Publisher@PeaceInTheStormPublishing.com
(862) 215-2980, Fax: (570) 643-6424


The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology debuts Father's Day 2009


What lies in the souls of men? author and publisher, elissa gabrielle posed the question and powerful, prolific and passionate men exposed their souls.

(Poconos, May 1, 2009) Passionate, Powerful and Prolific. The second book in the Triumph of My Soul series, The Soul of a Man takes a look into the hearts, minds and souls of men. From Elissa Gabrielle’s The Triumph of My Soul series, comes the second book in the series, titled, The Soul of A Man which promises to deliver powerful testimonies from some of today’s brightest male stars.

About the Book
The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology

What lies in the soul of a man? Love, laughter, heartache and sorrow? Pride, fear, rage and contentment? The true measure of a man lies in his heart and in his soul.

Trials are measured and grounded by inner feelings and the expectations placed on them and they persevere. The weights of the world sometimes are carried on their shoulders.

From socio-economic barriers, to racial tensions, broken hearts, to new found faith-experience the plight of man, as only he can explain it, told from his perspective and from his heart. Through expressions of the history of his past, the reality of his present, and the optimism of his future, these gifted men relate what stirs a man’s soul and ignites his actions and his thinking.

Men the world over have always been much maligned and strident ina how life portrays and prefaces their successes and failures. This collection of enlightening stories personifies the sentiment, faith, resilience and love embodied in the creation God made in His own image. The Soul of a Man is a Divine truth and an affirmation of the passion running through the minds of men where hearts and souls are bared.

In continuation of the Triumph series, the second book, The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology, features these brilliant men; Joe Thomas, Jihad, William Fredrick Cooper, Alvin C. Romer, Marc Lacy, Maurice M. Gray, Jr., Brian Ganges, Jarold Imes, K.L. Belvin, Joey Pinkney, Thomas Ashburn, Jr., Clarence “Baba Simba” Mollock, Tyrell Floyd and Eddrick Dejuan.

“Our men are so much more than what society feeds us. They are powerful, strong; they fear, they rejoice, they love, they care. Our men are much more than criminals, rapists, pimps, and drug dealers. They are fathers, sons, brothers, ministers, teachers, friends, and confidants who have a soul, have claimed victory over their circumstances and they have a story to tell,” say publisher of The Soul of a Man, Elissa Gabrielle.

The Soul of a Man releases Father’s Day, June 21, 2009. More information can be found at www.TheSoulofaMan.net or www.PeaceInTheStormPublishing.com.


Sincerely,

Shayla Simone
Author & Public Relations
Peace In The Storm Publishing
www.PeaceInTheStormPublishing.com


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Business Spotlight: Akwaaba BB in DC


Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast in DC
Enjoy your stay at Akwaaba, Washington’s literary themed Bed and Breakfast at the heart of Washington’s treasured Dupont Circle. This 1890's historic townhouse mansion is located within walking distance of the White House, and the many fine restaurants, and shops of Dupont Circle. Enjoy the exceptional location, and Victorian charm of the Washington DC location of the Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast family of Bed and Breakfast's.


Located in the heart of one of Washington's best neighborhoods, Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast DC offers a choice of 8 guest-rooms; each uniquely decorated and tailored around African American authors and classic genres. Dupont Circle, offers visitors more than 80 restaurant choices, exquisite, boutique shopping, several excellent bookstores, movie theaters, hip night-clubs and the Improv comedy theater. From a romantic weekend, sightseeing tour of the Smithsonian's, or the professional business trip, Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast DC can make your stay comfortable, convenient and memorable.


Guests will find easy access to the National Mall, Smithsonian Museums and Monuments. The city’s Metro system is a short 10-minute walk, and additionally a major bus line passes directly in front of the home, taking you to the White House in less than 10 minutes. The business traveler will find quick access to Washington’s new Convention Center, MCI center, and conference hotels- the Hilton Towers, Marriott Wardman Park and Omni Shoreham. All are a short metro ride, or even walking distance as in the Hilton Towers.

All guests, with the exception of apartment guests who have their own kitchen, are treated to a Southern hot cooked breakfast each morning, served 8am weekdays and 9am weekends in the bright formal dining room. Afternoons, the Inn offers light refreshments in the parlor. Guests are always invited to relax in the formal living room, or adjacent parlor. To find out more about Akwaaba's DC retreat, please click here.



Meet the Owners Glenn Pogue and Monique Greenwood

Akwaaba Mansion (Brooklyn, NY), Akwaaba by the Sea (Cape May, NJ), Akwaaba at Buttonwood Manor (Cape May, NJ), Akwaaba D.C. (Washington, D.C.), and Akwaaba in the Bayou (New Orleans, LA) are a collection of upscale bed and breakfast inns owned and operated by husband and wife team Glenn Pogue and Monique Greenwood. Monique and Glenn fell in love with the idea of inns when they stayed at their first bed and breakfast back in the early '90s. As guests, they enjoyed the hominess and comfort of the bed and breakfast experience. Monique quickly discovered that innkeeping combined all of her personal passions – architecture and interior decorating, entertaining and meeting new people, and helping others create wonderful, lasting memories. Read the entire story behind this fantastic collection of retreats.



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How to Write a Tip Sheet By Sandra Beckwith

How to Write a Tip Sheet
By Sandra Beckwith

A tip sheet is a news release that offers advice or tips in a bulleted or numbered format. It’s one of the hardest working and most useful tactics available for generating publicity. Use a tip sheet to generate short column notes in a newspaper or magazine or to interest a reporter, editor or producer in a feature article or talk show interview on the tip sheet topic.

Here’s how to create an effective tip sheet:

Use a press release format. The biggest difference between a tip sheet and a traditional press release is that the body of the tip sheet will include your tips or advice in a numbered or bulleted format.

Start with a headline that mimics those on magazine covers – “5 ways to lose weight before June” or “Top 7 mistakes shoppers make.” Here’s an example from a tip sheet promoting a women’s health and nutrition book to newspaper living sections:
Expert offers 10 nutrition tips for New Year’s resolutions

Write your first paragraph so it explains why the tips are necessary. The first paragraph and introductory text for the nutrition tip sheet was:

As any health club owner knows, “taking better care of myself” tops New Year’s resolution lists each year. Yet, many people – particularly women – don’t know exactly what it means to take better care of themselves.

Present a quotation in the second paragraph. This should provide more detail about why the tip sheet is necessary and establish the subject’s credentials. Here’s the second paragraph in the New Year’s resolution tip sheet:

“Traditionally, women have been caretakers of others in their lives – friends, family, neighbors, coworkers,” explains Susan Calvert Finn, PhD, RD, FADA, the architect of the American Dietetic Association’s Nutrition & Healthy Campaign for Women. “More and more busy women are realizing, however, that before they can adequately care for others, they must first care for themselves. It is clear that they must take charge of their own health. Nobody is going to do it for them.”

Set up your tips with a sentence – “Here are Smith’s tips for saving money at the supermarket” – or a short paragraph, as we have here:

Dr. Finn’s new book, The American Dietetic Association Guide to Women’s Nutrition for Healthy Living, provides women of all ages with nutrition information they can use immediately to eat right, maintain their health and prevent disease. Here are her top 10 suggestions from the book for women who need a healthier lifestyle this year:

Then list your tips with bullets or numbers. When tips are listed this way, rather than in traditional paragraphs, editors can quickly scan them to see if they would be useful to readers – or not. Make sure you write your tips in an active voice with strong verbs. And make sure they provide advice, not reasons to do something or product features. Here are a few of the tips in Finn’s release so you can get a sense of how this works:

• Make an appointment with a registered dietitian (RD) for a nutritional checkup. Call the American Dietetic Association at 800-366-1655 to locate an RD near you.

• Switch your thinking from “ideal” weight to “healthy” weight. Remember, you are unique. Your healthy weight may differ from your neighbor’s – even if she is your height and age – because of other variables such as genetics, fitness level and overall health.

• Look for “aerobic opportunities” every day. Park farther out in the lot at the mall. Take a brief walk at lunch or dinner. Think of the stairs as your friend.

Finally, add the concluding boilerplate paragraph that you put on most press releases. Here’s the paragraph for the nutrition book:

The American Dietetic Association Guide to Women’s Nutrition for Healthy Living, published by Perigee Books, is available in bookstores nationwide for $14. Book proceeds benefit nutrition research by the ADA, a national organization of 70,000 nutrition professionals, 98 percent of whom are women.

Look for ways to include tip sheets in your publicity plan; you’ll soon see how easily they generate results.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sandra Beckwith, the author of Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement, teaches the online “Book Buzz” class for Freelance Success. Learn more at www.sandrabeckwith.com.
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Book Spotlight: When Lightning Strikes by Keya


When Lightning Strikes by Keya
How can you have it all – education, personality, and beauty - yet your life is flooded with a sea of troubles?

Imminent, new author Keya answers this question and more in When Lightning Strikes, a novel about Ms. Taylor Devereaux, her three best friends, and her spiraling-out-of-control life. Taylor is on the road to happiness and success. She is a gorgeous and classy woman with a thriving career and a wonderful fiancée. One day, Taylor’s near perfect world is turned upside down when she discovers her future husband is cheating.

To make matters worse, while trying to put the pieces of her life back together, she finds out someone at her job has filed a sexual harassment complaint against her. She realizes someone is out to ruin her life. With Taylor’s personal life, profession, and overall reputation at stake, can she overcome it all? Or, will the stress of it all bring out another side of Taylor?

See how Taylor reacts “When Lightning Strikes.”



View the online Media Kit from Keya's site:
http://www.keyalit.com/mediakit.htm





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BOOK RELEASE PARTY FOR AUTHOR: DAVID RIVERIA, JR.



A BOOK RELEASE PARTY FOR AUTHOR: DAVID RIVERIA, JR.

The three divas glimpsed in The Last Prejudice find support in one another during the ups and downs of their juicy romances and chaotic lives. Noreen Klein is more than comfortable with smooth curves a size 24 frame enables. She never allows anyone to be her priority if she is only their option. Dahlia Hunt was married to a man with a fetish for abuse.

The gilded lenses she viewed him through are shattered, along with her self-esteem. She is left with a raging thirst for dominance. Kat Davis wrestles with releasing herself from a self-imposed emotional prison to embrace the love she deserves. Follow these three women as they fulfill their insatiable sexual appetites. They learn to be content with life, and most importantly content with themselves; to get in where they fit in – wherever that happens to be. He is also the author of Harlem’s Dragon, The Street Sweeper and Playing in the Dark.

View the author's website for excerpts and more details.


WHEN: Saturday, May 16th from 3:00pm – 7:00pm

WHERE: The Quality Inn at Andrews Air Force Base; 4783 Allentown Road, Camp Springs, Maryland 20746

Cost: $30.00 (includes meal and copy of The Last Prejudice) Deadline is May 14th.

To make payments via PayPal, send payment to: thesweetsoulsisters@yahoo.com
To make payments via certified check or money order, mail payments to:

Sweet Soul Sisters
P.O. Box 1728
Beltsville, MD 20704

For additional information, contact us at thesweetsoulsisters@yahoo.com


Meet the Author
David Rivera Jr., has been writing short stories for his own entertainment since high school. He has been inspired by the writings of the contemporary black male writers that have emerged in the past few years.

His first book, Harlem's Dragon, has been met with great enthusiasm by other writers – most notably by Zane, as well as literary critics. In a recent interview, David admitted that the sex scenes depicted in his writings are taken from some of his personal experiences and enhanced for the entertainment of his readers. He enjoys the erotic writing of Anne Rice and hopes to master a full spectrum of writing genres just as she has. As a man of color, David has taken on the task of showing African American men in a more positive light in his writing. He believes that every Black Man has the responsibility of contributing something of worth to his community. The proof that he is doing his share becomes apparent in his writing.

David, the youngest of three siblings, was born in the old Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx on January 14, 1965. He grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from Norman Thomas High School located in midtown Manhattan in 1982. David has lived in Harlem for the past 20 years. He holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology and a Masters of Science degree in Public Administration.
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The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum located in Baltimore, Maryland is currently seeking authors for booksignings and to host your book release party or social event, writers conference, bookclub meeting and more in our available space. If you have a book (fiction/nonfiction) about Black History etc. then we want to hear from you.

Please submit your book, along with marketing packet and contact information to us at the following address:

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
ATTN: J. Williamson - Gift Shop Manager
1601-03 E. North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21213
julie@ngbiwm.com
www.greatblacksinwax.org

We are also available to bookclubs for meeting space etc.


PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT US! Once your book is received you will be contacted.



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Black Book Clubs Rock Awards June 20, 2009




It's about to go down at the first annual Black Book Clubs Rock Awards June 20, 2009 in Largo, MD, just minutes away from D.C. With over 100 confirmed guests, this literary event promises to be one you don't want to miss.

Featured presenters and special guests include Trice Hickman, Nikkea Smithers, Angel Mechelle, Linda Pate, Kayona Ebony Brown, Marita Teague, Ella Curry, Tee C. Royal , Go On Girl Book Club, and many more...

Haven't gotten your ticket yet? No problem!
We've secured the entire venue. Registration ends May 15th so get your tickets today.
Visit www.blackbookclubsrock.blogspot.com or contact bbrrawards@gmail.com.


Just can't make it to the event?
Are you an author that can't make the event, but want to let us know why Black Book Clubs Rock? It's easy. Call 641-715-3900 ext. 76644# and leave a message and it could be featured at the award show.

Follow these instructions:

1. Call the number 641- 715-3900 ext. 76644#

2. Introduce yourself and title of most recent book. (Please keep this limited. It's about the book clubs and you will be able to tell us more about yourself at the end of the message.

3. Tell us how book clubs have helped the community and you as an author? What was your most memorable experience? How have they supported you. Make it personal.

4. Tell us your contact information and maybe any contest or promotions you want to run exclusively for our guests.

Please limit message to 3 minutes. Only a limited number of messages will be selected. Thanks for your participation.

Get a good look at the BBCRA's!Send us your books and promotional items you want featured at the event. For more information contact: bbcrawards@gmail.com

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Black Pearl Spotlight: Marilynn Griffith


Intimate Conversation with the author of
Mom's the Word, Marilynn Griffith

Marilynn Griffith is an author, speaker, and founder of the SistahFaith Network. Her credits include Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul and more. Her novels have been featured in Charisma and Upscale magazines. She was named a 2007 Author on the Rise by Christian Retailing. She has served as Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Ella: Tell us about your passion for writing. Why do you write? What drives you?
I write because it's part of who I am, the way I'm made. I write tounderstand, to be understood and make myself and others see things we'd rather not see. Jesus drives me because He keeps telling mestories.



Ella: Introduce us to your new book, Mom's the Word.
Mom's the Word is a book about friendships, motherhood and secrets. Two women who seem very different at first become neighbors. Each thinks she has something to teach the other. In the end, God has something to teach them both--He knows us, even when we don't know ourselves. When Karol Simons, the burnt out mother of three who loses it and tells her family not to call her Mom anymore (especially her husband who has gotten into the habit) everything changes. Her husband offers her 21 kid-free days to rediscover her passion...writing. He needs the neighbors help to pull it off. Pick it up today and see how three weeks change all their lives forever.

Ella: Finish this sentence: I am Powerful because...
I'm powerful because I have God's power inside of me, because I am a warrior of words, a master of mathematics, a mother of many and a wife of a man of God. I am powerful because it is my destiny.


Ella: Where are you from? How did you start your writing journey?
I am originally from Dayton, Ohio. Though I've been in Florida for twenty years, my imagination still spends a lot of time in Ohio. I'd always been writing but never thought I could be published. That was for famous people I thought back then. Some things had happened politically and within my spiritual walk that sent me back to the beginnings of myself. When I got there, it was stacked with notebooks and etched in verse. I started writing as an exercise in rediscovery
at first, then obedience and finally surrender.


Ella: Who are your two main characters and what do you like most about them?
The two main characters in Mom's the Word are Karol Simons and Dyanne Thornton. Karol has just had her best friend move away from the house next door only to have young, skinny and somewhat aggravating Dyanne move in. Karol's tired of her kids, Dyanne is itching to have a baby, but not like the brats next door. Both women have problems in their relationships with their parents and are trying to discover who they really are. One things motherhood is keeping her from discovering her identity; the other things motherhood will create her identity. In the end, they're both wrong. Mom's just a word.


Ella: What makes your book stand out and would entice a reader pick it up?
The cover has bright colors and flowers and a pretty woman on the
cover. It also starts off with a poem and there are quite a few poems throughout, which is different for a novel. (Karol is a poet). I'm not sure the book is quite as cute as the back cover copy implies as there are always some grown up conflicts and secrets in my books, but there
is definitely a great group of characters and conflicts. I hope people enjoy it.


Ella: Ultimately, what do you want readers to gain from your book?
As always, I want readers to laugh, cry and pray. I want God to meet them where they are on some page of the book and give them something I never planned for.


Ella: What is the most surprising thing you have learned in creating books?
Probably the most surprising thing I have learned (though I thought I knew) is how powerful the imagination can be. Though I know that my characters aren't real, I have been with them so long that they become very real to me...and to my readers.


Ella: What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer? Getting my husband to read one of my books. :) Seriously.


Ella: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases.
My next release is SONGS OF DELIVERANCE (December 1, 2009, Revell Books). It is the sequel to RHYTHMS OF GRACE (September 2008, Revell Books). I'm very excited about my 2010 releases as well: SistahFaith, my first nonfiction project, containing true stories of women who have hurt but healed by God and Second Chance Blessings, my novella in the MILLION BLESSINGS anthology (Kensington 2010) with authors Angela Benson and Tia McCollors. See you on the bookshelf!


Ella: How may our readers contact you online?
http://sistahfaith.ning.com


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Mom’s the Word Book Tour - May 10-16, 2009




Marilynn Griffith is the author of eight novels, mother to seven children, wife to a deacon and proof of God’s enduring mercy. One of her novels, If the Shoe Fits, served as a prop in Tyler Perry’s box office hit Why Did I Get Married?

She has served as national Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers and has served on faculty at several national writers conferences. When she’s not writing about friendship, family and faith, Marilynn blogs and speaks to women and writers.


About the book
When her tall, dark, delicious husband joins their three kids in calling her "Mom," Karol Simons has an identity crisis. Sure she loves the pint-size trio, but what’s happened to her dreams of writing a novel? Determined to have it all, she turns to her neighbor for help.

Dyanne Thornton is thrilled to stand in as Mom for three weeks so Karol can write. Bursting with baby fever, the career-woman trades her glamorous clothes and four-inch heels for the playground and potty training. She hopes to convince her reluctant husband they should start a family of their own, right away.

Everyone’s in for some big surprises…






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Victorious Magazine Launch Celebration!

Victorious Magazine Launch Celebration!




Celebrate at Black Pearls Blog
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Ella Curry, Black Pearls Magazine
http://edcmagazine.blogspot.com/


VICTORIOUS ENTERPRISE – OUR MISSION

To empower Christian women to walk in their purpose and be all that God has called them to be as well as provide them with resources, motivation, encouragement, and knowledge to help them follow their dreams!

“Where EVERY woman is Victorious!” Being victorious is more than just winning… It is conquering! It is triumphing over obstacles and defeating what you are up against. In keeping with the total picture of living a victorious existence, the Victorious brand was born. Victorious Enterprise is more than just a company. It is a counterpart… an extension of the woman we represent. From vision to vineyard, Victorious Enterprise was developed inclusively for women of all nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomical backgrounds.

The company has expanded into brand extensions such as Victorious Voice Radio Show, Victorious Magazine, and Victorious Cafe! The Victorious trinity is where she turns for not only the hottest breaking news on life, health, style, and business trends, but also inspiration, encouragement, and resources for empowerment! Our target audience is not a certain type of woman, nor a certain class of woman, but EVERY woman… the single woman, the married woman, the working mother, the homemaker, the businesswoman, and the entrepreneur.

VICTORIOUS Magazine is the cornerstone of our public communication, providing access to articles representing our victorious message! By reaching out directly to each woman and touching on the concerns that are on her heart we are able to encourage her to press on toward her dreams to live victoriously, taking control of her own destiny and achieving her true purpose. Our editorial content is designed to validate the importance of the things that appeal to her on all levels - personally, professionally, spiritually, and mentally - in a way that only women can understand.

Our article categories include Destiny & Purpose, Inspiration & Empowerment, Stewardship, Victorious Living, Victorious Wellness, and Style & Grace. The publication launched its digital version March 30, 2009. The first print issue of VICTORIOUS MAGAZINE will hit the newsstands September 2009, with an initial circulation of 25,000.

Check out the digital issue at VictoriousMagazine.com.
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Par for the Curse Blog Tour – May 25-29, 2009



May 25 - Black Author Network (8-10 pm EST)

Join the Celebration!
by calling into the radio show and telling us your reviews of the book: 646-200-0402
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Literary Leaders Spotlight for May 2009



Vist the Black Pearls Magazine to read all the interviews and to meet great authors and poets too! Enter here for those rare and elegant Black Pearls.

Please join in the discussion by leaving comments or congrats below.
Black Authors Culture Center-- Twitter with Ella--Black Pearls Mag
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Poetry Spotlight: Resilience By Dana Rettig

Resilience By Dana Rettig

I am resilient.
 I am more of a child than a woman.

I am seen, not heard.

I am resilient.
 In my love's hindsight, I am not allowed to have the last word.

I am resilient.
 If you cut me, I won't scream because my pain is laughter in his ears.

I am resilient.
 My weakness is his strength but my knowledge is his main fear.

I am resilient.
 I can't spend time with my loved ones because his jealousy over clouds his thinking.

I am resilient.
 It seems as if I am flying high on cloud nine, but internally; I am truly sinking.

I am resilient.
 He uses me as a ragdoll for his entertainment.

I am resilient.
I am not certain when I will ever find peace again.

Yes, my love is full of smoke.
He can get away with murder just by flashing his sweet smile.

My love is full of smoke.
He knows that for him; I'll walk a mile.

Again, I am resilient.
My life does not matter because it no longer applies.
I do not have a voice, because he does not care about my lonely cries.

COPY RIGHT 3/2/2009; All rights reserved. Request permission to reprint.

Dana Rettig is a spoken word artist/poet/author/playwright from Chicago, IL. If you liked her poem, "Resilience", you send questions/comments, to email address: drettig18@yahoo.com. Congratulations Dana on a wonderful piece!



Please join in the discussion by leaving comments or congrats below.
Black Authors Culture Center-- Twitter with Ella--Black Pearls Mag
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