Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Sistahs On the Reading Edge



Hey All,

Just had to bring everyone up to date on my recent visit to the left coast to visit my Sistahs On the Reading Edge in Anticoh, California for their annual Summer Sizzle. The event was fantastic and the hospitality even better.

I got to meet one of my own writing idols JD Mason! Who is simply wonderful. The actual event was a blast and the turnout was fantastic. I got to see so many folks that I know from flying back and forth out there as well as from conferences and booksigning events.

Dera Williams was there. She always comes out and supports. And I gotta give a shout out to my girl Deborah Burton from Turning Pages Bookclub for coming out. And to all the readers and bookclub members that came out to support me and JD, we love and thank you!!!

And big hugs to Lisa and Jackie co-founders of Sistahs on the Reading Edge for doing such a phenomenal job. I know I'll be seeing ya'll soon!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Chances Are--Revisited


On Friday August 1, 2008 CHANCES ARE will be "officially" available in bookstores.

This book is being re-issued by Harlequin from its original publication in 1998. However,this story will always remain dear to my heart as it sprung from my own personal experiences of running a housing facility for homeless teen mothers. As it was in 1998, a story of hope, of love and forgivness--and a sexy hero of course--those themes still resonant today.

If you don't have a copy I urge you to purchase one during the first week of release. If you already have one.... please get a new one anyway with a great new cover or get it for a friend. You won't be disappointed. I've included below a short blurb. Enjoy!



A test of passion

Dione Williams knew what it was like to be young and pregnant with nowhere to go. Years later, through hard work and sheer force of will, she had provided a good life for her daughter and started a successful home for teenage mothers and their babies. But from the moment television producer Garrett Lawrence began a story on the teen center, Dione's hard-won confidence was shaken. How could a man she found so attractive and intelligent be so cynical about unwed mothers? Battling her conflicted emotions, Dione would have to defend the work she believed in—even if it cost her a love that promised a lifetime of happiness.

A test of love

Garrett didn't think much of "irresponsible" teen mothers. He knew firsthand the misery of being given away and searching for the acceptance he never could seem to find. Although he found himself drawn closer and closer to Dione because of her independence and passionate determination, his painful past kept getting in the way. Now Garrett and Dione must find their way to each other through a search only the heart can undertake—and only love can bring.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

National Black Book Festival

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Roland S. Martin, Mary B. Morrison and Donna Hill Headline 2009 National Black Book Festival


Roland S. Martin
Mary B. Morrison
Donna Hill

Houston, TX (BlackNews.com) - Authors Roland S. Martin, Mary B. Morrison and Donna Hill will be among the featured authors at the 2009 National Black Book Festival, May 16-17, 2009 in Houston, Texas.

This annual event, held in conjunction with the Houston Black Expo, is co-sponsored by Cushcity.com, one of the leading African-American literary sites online, and the Houston Black Expo. More than 125 authors participated in the 2008 event and organizers indicate that the 2009 Festival will showcase a similar number of authors as well as several thousand African-American readers, including book clubs.

Roland S. Martin is a frequent political commentator on CNN and author of two books: Listening to the Spirit Within and Speak Brother! A Black Man's View of America. Mary B. Morrison is a New York Times bestselling author of nine novels and specializes in erotica. Donna Hill began her writing career in 1987 and has more than 50 published titles to her credit. Three of Hill's novels have been adapted for television.

Other featured authors for the 2009 Festival include:

* R. M. Johnson, author of seven novels, including The Harris Men and The Million Dollar Divorce and the upcoming The Million Dollar Deception

* Mary Monroe, author of ten novels, including God Don't Like Ugly, God Don't Play and the upcoming She Had It Coming

* Tracy Brown, author of five urban fiction novels, including Twisted and White Lines

* Brandon Massey, author of several works of the supernatural/thriller genre, including Dark Corner, Vicious and Don't Ever Tell

* Jacquelin Thomas, Christian fiction author, with more than 18 novels to her credit, including Soul Journey, Singsation, Redemption and Jezebel

Information regarding author and publisher exhibits, advertising and sponsorship for the Festival is available for download at the Festival web site: www.nationalblackbookfestival.com. For more information regarding the Festival, which will be held at Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, contact the Festival office at (281) 444-4265.


CONTACT:
Gwen Richardson
281-444-4265

Monday, July 21, 2008

Mow your Lawn or Go to Jail

While surfing the net for weird news, I stumbled across this one from weirdnews.com Enjoy.



In Ohio they take grass-cutting very seriously. So seriously infact that homeowners who don’t mow their lawns face a stiff fine, even jail time in some cases.

The city council has decided to get tougher by increasing the maximum fine for failing to cut the grass from $150 to $250. And they’ve also added up to 30 days behind bars if a violator is particularly bad. Mayor William Healy says it’s the type of action needed “in order to clean up our neighbourhoods and our city.”

In the US it seems you don’t even get enough jail time for serious offences like assualt and robbery so this was a bit suprising.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Ahhh.... Sweet Justice

Cop Fired for Demanding Free Coffee
AP
posted: 2 HOURS 35 MINUTES AGO
comments: 194
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filed under: National News, Weird News
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 18) - An internal affairs report says a Daytona Beach police officer demanded free coffee and tea from a Starbucks and threatened employees with slower emergency response times if they refused.
Lt. Major Garvin, a 15-year veteran, was fired July 8. According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Chief Mike Chitwood says Garvin recently failed a polygraph test that he insisted on taking.
The coffeehouse's employees claim that since June 2007, Garvin had visited the store as many as six times a night while on duty. Besides demanding free drinks, workers complained that Garvin also cut in front of paying customers.
A telephone listing for Garvin could not be found.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

In Other Weird News

Jun 23rd 2008
By Tom Radler

* Weird
* News

We're not sure what was on TV in 1966 in the former Yugoslavia, but it was the last thing seen by a woman whose remains have only recently been found.

Hedviga Golik, who was born in 1924, was discovered by police in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, long-dead and sitting in her armchair in front of her black-and-white television.

The deceased had been reported missing 42 years ago, and neighbors say they thought she had moved away to live with relatives. Oddly though, the police only recently broke in to try to determine who owned the apartment and they still have not figured out how the woman could have been reported missing so long ago without anyone checking the residence.

"When officers went there, they said it was like stepping into a place frozen in time," a police spokesman said. "The cup she had been drinking tea from was still on a table next to the chair she had been sitting in ... Nothing had been disturbed for decades, even though there were more than a few cobwebs in there."

A neighbor, fittingly, remembered Golik as "a quiet woman who kept herself to herself."

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

How Far Will They Go

Greetings Family,

My colleague William Cooper posted the following on one of the lists that we are on and I felt it important to share with you. If you have not made your voice heard on the blatant slap in the face not only to Senator Obama and his wife but to Muslims, and black folk in general, then you should.









ON THAT MORNING, WE'LL BE ALRIGHT...
(Inspired by Mary Mary's IN THE MORNING) by William Fredrick Cooper

On That Morning in November, we'll be alright. On That Morning, the skies will bleed a victorious blue. On That Morning, they'll be no clouds blocking what's rightfully ours. The sun will illuminate a heritage with warmth like no other time in history. Tears of joy will be shed from graves of slaves who died for our freedom, activists who endured hoses full blast, lynchings and assassinations, and every single discrimination because of skin pigmentation. Heck, even Clarance Thomas will be forgiven for his subjectivity, and Jesse Jackson will be pardoned for his momentary lapse, and realize that he too played a significant part in laying the foundation for a bridge once thought of as inconceivable. (It's all linked, Reverand. Don't fall for the Wright Gag.)

Years ago, a drop of water had more of a chance in hell than the tantalizing change before us. However On That Morning in November, Barack Obama will complete the ambition of every person of color in terms of human endeavor. The marathon race for mankind will see him enter the stadium, run that victory lap with his queen Michelle, and finally complete the race that began in chains before the Mayflower.

On That Morning, We'll be alright.

But Until Then...Buckle all seatbelts and fortify yourselves with armor for the Obamas. As the picture above indicates, we're in for a dogfight for those remaining acres. We're about to see the whole ball of wax in all its fury. Some of the nonsense will be blatant (Again, See Above), some of it forged from tech saavy, others testing our intelligence and common sense. See it for what it is, and pray that a country wanting change in all its sincerity will follow suit.

Check it.. This one's not about the interests of a twisted logic called white supremacy, which, by the way, is dressed in many disguises (CNN pundits, Political games, and periodical covers). This one's about change, one craved for and spoken in many ways throughout time. Singers came in song, poets and writers in their dreams, scuplters, painters and designers in their interpretation of beauty and awe, and scholars with blistering truths.

All were met with doors slammed in their faces.

On That Morning, it'll be no more. No more outcries of agonizing despairs over what can't be done, no more empty dreams for children of color hoping they can be. They will be, because our Prince and his voters sang in unison YES WE CAN. On That Morning, we'll be alright, because the race will have been completed with a village standing tall like the Kings, Queens and Priests of a land far away in place and time, people of strength that built pyraminds of clay with their bare hands.

But unil then, we must remember that strength as much for the Obamas as ourselves. We must remember that our village has forgotten about more unfair hardships than many races ever knew. With no signs of hesitance, timidity or intimidation, our strength must remain as cool as the other side of a pillow, yet blazing like a summer temperment. It will carry us through this journey of grinding times, for on that November morning when we awaken to no clouds of cynicism in our sky, we'll know that everything's Kool and The Gang.

Everything will be alright, actually- wink.









William Fredrick Cooper
www.myspace.com/wfcooper
AWARD-WINNING, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR of THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR of SIX DAYS IN JANUARY
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR TO EROTIC ANTHOLOGIES
COMING IN 2010: THE INCONCEIVABLE SERIES
www.blackplanet.com/wfcooper



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Saturday, July 12, 2008

Harlem Book Fair --updated information

On Saturday, July 20 at 1:15 p.m. at the Thurgood Marshall Academy on 135th in Harlem, I will be facilitating a panel discuss titled: Heroes and Heroines: The Impact of the Romance Genre on Commercial Black Fiction.

Panelists include: Gwynne Forster, Sandra Kitt, Leslie Esdaile (L.A. Banks) & Nathasha Brooks Harris.

Sandra Kitt
a long-time veteran of the genre will give the audience a perspective of the history of the genre and the reasons for its longevity.

Gwynne Forster trained in sociology and demography will discuss the human condition and how even book characters are products of their environment.

Nathasha Brooks-Harris a romance author and editor will discuss the mechanics of a romance, what makes it successful and the difference between a romance and a relationship novel

Leslie Esdaile who has garnered enormous success in several genres began in romance and will discuss how that foundation and the depiction of hero and heroine translates into all of the genres in which she writes.


This discussion will provide insight into the genre's longevity and popularity and how its basic structure has provided an "acceptable" medium to mass produce stories about African Americans, build an audience and a marketplace thus providing the platform for the current surge in black fiction. Find out why the genre has remained unshakable, how it has retained and developed its fan base and how black romances, street fiction and commercial black fiction all tell of the black experience by reflecting the environment from which their heroes and protagonists emerge.

We do hope that you will join us for what is sure to be an engaging, challenging and insightful discussion.

Please forward to your reading friends.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Thanks to My Fans

Sunday was our first book club meeting on BlogTalk. Thanks so much for the folks who came out both on line live and in the chat room.

Joy was the lucky winner of our first fanclub T-shirt. Joy your shirt is in route.
Since Monday, I've been busy writing and trying to keep up with all the new members who are joining the club.

I want to wish each and every one of you a wonderful week and a very safe 4th of July.

Until next time happy reading

Donna