The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box by Valerie J. Lewis Coleman: A Book Review & Feature

THE BOOK

[Buy your copy of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box at The Goody Box Website!]
THE FORBIDDEN SECRETS OF THE GOODY BOX – What your father didn’t tell you and your mother didn’t know...

Successful. Beautiful. Intelligent. Yet a satisfying relationship eludes Debra Hampton. At thirty-five years old, she can’t figure out why her philosophy on men—and what they want from women—isn’t working. She’s trapped in a cycle of shattered relationships, until a friend refers her to a relationship guru. After some resistance, Debra finds refuge in his counsel as he helps her navigate through the storms of rejection and failed love. Once he reveals the error of her ways, will Debra master the forbidden secrets to attract her soul mate or continue to keep love at bay?

CLG Review of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box

4 (out of 5) lattes

Entertain and Inform All in One Novel

There is definitely enough drama and wisdom in The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box to entertain, engage, and perhaps even teach those who read the novel. Author Valerie J. Lewis Coleman wastes no time in getting readers into the heart of the story as by the first couple of pages, we're thrust into the relationship woes (and some great fighting skills!) of one of the main characters, Debra Hampton. It's hard to put down the book when an author snags you that quickly. What I enjoyed the most about Goody Box is Coleman's ability to paint true-to-life circumstances and well-developed characters. Development like this on both levels works in two ways for the book: 1) the development keeps readers close to the characters and makes readers care about what the characters go through (great for a novel!) and 2) the realistic portraits will leave readers thinking about the situations these characters go through and pulling the wisdom found in the book into their real-life situations and conversations. As much as I enjoyed Goody Box, I wasn't thrilled with the ending. It had the ability to two things simultaneously: disappointment and leave me unfulfilled, yet leave me anxiously awaiting the sequel. Just have to wait until 2014 for it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Taste of The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box

Chapter 1
For the Love of Vincent

Sunday-morning service stirred Debra Hampton’s heart. The poignant message convinced her to resolve a matter that had her torn for almost a year. She had been undecided about whether to marry her live-in boyfriend, Vincent. He didn’t share her religious beliefs and refused to go with her to church, but she knew that he was the best man for her. He laughed at her silly antics, talked with her about her ambitions and encouraged her to greatness. He made her the focal point of his life and involved her in every decision no matter how minute. But it was his touch that held her hostage, kept her toying with God’s love by giving herself to a man who was not her husband.

With her head bowed to hide the free-flowing tears, she exited the church without speaking to anyone. She sat in her Mercedes S550, took a moment to freshen her makeup, expelled a sigh of relief. She looked to Heaven through the panorama sunroof, smiled, closed her eyes, gave thanks. The decision to accept Vincent’s proposal resonated; filled her with peace as she trusted the Lord with her soul mate.

The thirty-minute drive from the inner-city church to her suburban home gave her ample time to reflect upon the life they would build together: three children, business partnership and unlimited mind-blowing sex. The rush of blood to her southern bell—the name her mother called her vagina when she was a child—gave her pause. Fortunately, she was stopped at a red light. She clicked through the Sirius Satellite stations and then opted to enjoy tunes Vincent had downloaded to her iPod a few nights prior.

As she turned into Creekwood Estates—a lavish community north of Dayton—she admired the mansion-sized homes set hundreds of feet from the street. Manicured lawns featured rows of exotic trees, shrubbery and blooming flowers. Cobblestone driveways boasted luxury cars and backyards had customized gym sets or in-ground pools.

Her stucco and brick palatial home was small in comparison to those of her neighbors, but it was big enough for her family-to-be. She loved the side-entry, three-car garage because it camouflaged the unpacked moving boxes from passersby. She parked in the usual spot—closest to the mudroom door—and then she smiled wide. "He's home."

Debra grabbed her purse and Bible and then jaunted into the house. She placed her belongings on the granite countertop, careful not to make noise. Since the television wasn’t locked on a sporting event, Vincent had to be resting in the master suite. A 3,500-square-foot home and he preferred the family room and bedroom.
She slipped off her stilettos, tiptoed up the stairs. Her heart beat faster with each step. She wiped her palms together to dry the sweaty moisture, pressed her ear to the door. His subtle snores seeped through. She giggled and then covered her mouth to halt the escape of more laughter.

She opened the door, peeked in, swung it wide. “Vincent! What the devil?”

“Debra, what are you doing here?” After a quick dismount, he rummaged the floor for his Fruit of the Looms. "When'd you get home?"

“Who is this woman and why is she in my bed?” She ran to the side of the bed, towered over her betrayer. Breath stalled in her throat, eyes widened. “Catherine!”

Catherine—the first person to welcome Debra to the neighborhood—reached for her clothes, scurried to dress.

Debra lunged at her, snatched her by the ponytail, drew back her fist. Just as she connected with Catherine’s right jaw, Vincent grabbed Debra around the waist, pulled her away. She flailed her arms, kicked at his shins, head-butted him in the mouth. When he released her, she pursued Catherine who was halfway down the stairs, underwear in tow.

Debra leapt from the top stair, using Catherine as a landing pad. Spewing expletives, she pummeled her in the back of the head, until Vincent pulled her off.

He tightened his grip on Debra’s arms, spun her around to look him in the eyes. “Stop it!” A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

“I cannot believe you had that female up in my house.” The same channels that had released tears of joy now flooded her face in sadness. “Vincent, how could you?” She watched Catherine sprint through the backyard; battered, bruised and butt-naked.

“I tried to tell you, but—”

“You tried to tell me what? The last thing I knew, you were looking for an engagement ring.”

“I was…for Catherine.”

Debra’s head danced like a bobble-head doll, her vision blurred. Her body quivered and then went slack as she collapsed in Vincent’s arms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A few minutes later, Debra awoke on the family-room couch. She picked up the note that set on the table.

Debra,

I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I’ll be back to get my things. I love you, but not enough to make you my wife.

Vincent

As she let the note float to the floor, the back door opened and then closed. The man whom she was willing to love forever had tiptoed out of the house and driven out of her life.

The agony of unreciprocated love left Debra in despair. Virtual restrainers confined her to the bedroom—the viaduct of deceit. She cried until her body heaved and the reservoir of tears was empty.


Chapter 2
Wallow

Depression infiltrated Debra and she withdrew into an abyss of desolation. She called off from work using a flare-up of Crohn’s disease as the reason. Given that her body responded with similar symptoms—loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, fatigue and diarrhea—she resolved that it was a legitimate excuse for at least a week of sick days.

The Author

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman has helped thousands of women across the nation find relational fulfillment. With over twenty years of experience in family and relationships, this expert has given advice on various issues including identifying the four types of male hunters, avoiding seventy percent of men who only want the goody box and winning the heart of Mr. Right-For-You. As she assists others with building strong relationships, she shares how she overcame personal struggles and offers proven techniques to help you get off the crazy cycle of relational demise in her bestselling novel THE FORBIDDEN SECRETS OF THE GOODY BOX! To learn more about Valerie, her books and overcoming relational matters, visit TheGoodyBoxBook.com. You can also check out Valerie on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

RELEASE DAY: Flawfully Wedded Wives by Shana Burton

Purchase Flawfully Wedded Wives through the following outlets:

[Amazon] [Black Expressions] [BN.com] [BAMM.com]

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Just when Sullivan, Lawson, Kina, Angel, and Reginell finally think they have life figured out, fate steps in and throws them all a curve ball, adding fuel to the drama that seems to follow the ladies wherever they go.
First Lady Sullivan Webb’s search for her absentee father uncovers secrets that threaten to destroy the lives of those she loves most.

Kina Battle’s new celebrity status as the winner of a popular weight-loss show receives a harsh backlash when her skeletons are exposed and the people she trusts most begin to turn on her.

Lawson Banks' refusal to accept her husband's lovechild force Garrett to choose between the woman he loves and the child he’s fathered.

Reginell Kerry's new life as the wife of a high school football coach lacks the excitement and financial security that working as an exotic dancer afforded her. When the bills start to pile up, Reginell goes back to doing what she knows best, only this time it may cost her more than she’s willing to pay.

Angel King’s broken heart finds a safe place to mend in the arms of electrician Jordan McKay, but careless actions threaten leave Angel brokenhearted once again.

The ladies often fall victim to being led by their hearts instead of their heads. This time, they have no other choice but to listen to the voice of the Lord.

EXCERPT

“Come on, everybody, lighten up,” cheered Kina. “This weekend is supposed to be about all of us fellowshipping and reconnecting and trying to re-establish some of the bonds that have been severed due to time and distance, lack of communication or—”

“Betrayal,” chimed in Sullivan.

Kina sighed. “Or betrayal. Sullivan, part of the reason I wanted you to come is because I want us to get back to the closeness we had before everything got all crazy.”

Sullivan sat up. “Everything didn’t get all crazy. You got all crazy, Kina! How could you do that to me?”

“Sully, do you really want to do this right here, right now?” asked Lawson.

Reginell finished her drink. “If you are, it sounds like we’re going to need some more alcohol!”

Sullivan looked Kina squarely in the eyes for the first time in over a year. “Yeah, Kina, let’s do this right here and now. I want to know how could one of my friends—one of my best friends, at that—try to ruin my marriage and destroy me life.”

Lawson jumped into the conversation. “Sullivan, you’re the one—”

Sullivan held up her hand to shush Lawson. “Stay out of this, Lawson! I want Kina to answer.”

“I’m not going to sit here and let you attack my cousin.”

“It’s all right, Lawson. I can handle it.” Kina took a deep breath and sipped her drink. “There’s no one answer I can give you, Sullivan. There’s certainly not an answer to justify what I did to you and Charles. All I can tell you is that I was really, really messed up after E’Bell died. Yeah, I was glad that the abuse had stopped, that the name-calling and insults had stopped, and that I didn’t have to walk around my own apartment in fear anymore, but nothing prepared me for how alone I felt.”

“Kina, you weren’t alone. You had us,” Angel told her.

Kina took another sip, building the courage to be honest with each swallow. “Not really. Once I came home from work, I didn’t have anybody. I was so lonely, but I couldn’t tell anyone. I mean, how could I admit to all of you that I actually missed the guy who beat on me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?”

Lawson’s heart went out to Kina. “Kina, you could’ve told us that. We wouldn’t have judged you.”

“I didn’t want you to know, just like when E’Bell was abusing me. When you’re in that kind of violent situation for so long, you get very good at hiding the truth and perfecting whatever image you want people to believe in, even those closest to you.”

“Was loneliness the reason you got involved with Joan?” posed Angel.

Kina nodded. “You know, being with Joan was never about whether I was really gay or straight. She was someone who was there showering me with the attention and affection I needed. God knows she treated me better than any man ever did, but in the back of my mind, I always knew that she wasn’t what I was looking for.”

“And that’s when you decided to go after Charles,” Sullivan surmised.

“I was so thankful for him giving me a job at the church, and he was so supportive and caring. He loved the Lord, and it seemed like he knew everything about life and God and how to treat people. I’d never met a guy like that before, and I couldn’t help myself.” Kina went on. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you, Sully. Truth be told, I really wasn’t even thinking about you. The only thing I could see was that Charles was a good man, and I needed a good man. I guess once you got pregnant and we were all convinced that the baby was Vaughn’s, I took it as a sign from God that Charles and I were meant to be together. When I told him how I felt and he continued to profess his love for you, I just snapped.”

“But why?” asked Angel.

“I guess because it seemed like no matter what Sullivan did to him and no matter how much she hurt and humiliated him, Charles still wanted her. I thought if he knew about Vaughn and the baby, it could be the one thing that could make him take the blinders off and see Sullivan for who she really was. I’d convinced myself that God wanted us to be together because he was the kind of man I’d prayed for my whole life.”

“Yes, but he was my man!” interjected Sullivan.

“Now, Sullivan, if we’re going to keep it real, we’re going to keep it one hundred all the way,” began Lawson, now fueled by liquid courage. “Everybody here knows that for years, you treated Charles like crap with all your running around and flirting, withholding sex when you felt like it, and only God knows what else you’ve done and haven’t told us about. A lesser man would’ve left your butt a long time ago. Your only saving grace is that Charles loves the Lord more than he loves you, and he tries to do what’s pleasing to God. Charles must know that you’d be an even bigger mess without him. So before you start hollering about how Charles is your man, think about how much love and appreciation you’ve shown to your man.”

“So you don’t think I deserve a man like Charles?” charged Sullivan.

“No, you don’t,” answered Lawson. “There…I said it.”

Sullivan glared at Lawson then took in a mouthful of her cocktail. “So I’m not good enough for Charles, huh?”

Kina, Reginell, and Angel braced themselves for what might come next, not knowing who among them would be the recipient of Sullivan’s rage. When Sullivan was mad while sober, she was unpredictable. Who knew how she’d respond under the influence of alcohol?

ABOUT SHANA BURTON

Shana Burton is a two-time Georgia Author of the Year nominee and bestselling author of Suddenly Single, First Comes Love, Catt Chasin', Flaws and All, Flaw Less and Flawfully Wedded Wives. She is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and Cambridge College. In addition to writing books, she also teaches post-secondary English. You can learn more about Shana through her blog and her Facebook and Twitter pages.

Authors, Clothing Designers: Get Your Wares in an Upcoming Movie

Want to know how?

Help fund writer, director J.D. Walker's KICKSTARTER campaign for her movie, THE POSTWOMAN!

There are NINE days left until the campaign in, and funds are still needed for this worthwhile movie, which has been featured in The Huffington Post and Indiewire's Shadow and Act: On Cinema of the African Diaspora. You can head to J.D.'s KS page to watch a video and learn more about the movie and campaign, but here's how you can get your wares into the production.

BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT

With a $75 pledge, you can enjoy your book being featured in the Bookstore scene and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Clean "TITLES" only: Non-offensive. Children, Romance, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Erotica, Poetry, Spiritual, Motivational, LGBT, and other titles, okay. Just look for Pledge $50 or more [BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: ALTERNATE $75 PLEDGE] in the list of pledges you can make!

BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: THE SUPREME EDITION

With a pledge of $100 or more, you can enjoy your book being featured in the Bookstore scene, your name in the closing credits, two tickets to an advanced screening, and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Package also includes a PDF of the shooting script, a Postwoman Movie luggage tag, and a grocery tote. Clean "TITLES" only: Non-offensive. Children, Romance, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Erotica, Poetry, Spiritual, Motivational, LGBT, and other titles, okay. Just look for Pledge $100 or more [BOOK LOVERS DELIGHT: THE SUPREME EDITION] in the list of pledges you can make!

CLOTHING LOVERS DELIGHT

With a pledge of $100 or more, you can enjoy having your clothing line featured in THE POSTWOMAN, your name in the closing credits of the feature film, two tickets to an advanced screening, and a digital link to watch the feature film (after the film's theatrical release and all restrictions placed on the project by TV or distributors). Just look for Pledge $100 or more [CLOTHING LOVERS DELIGHT: ALTERNATE $100 PLEDGE] in the list of pledges you can make!

GET TO PLEDGING!

Check out Urban Paranormal FORBIDDEN FEAST by Joelle Sterling

Forbidden Feast is book three in the Eternal Dead series written by Joelle Sterling. The first two books are Midnight Cravings (Book #1) and The Dark Hunger (Book #2).

In Forbidden Feast...

In the town of Frombleton, government and law enforcement are run by vampires, and humans can’t get justice—particularly after the sun goes down.

Holland Manning has been studying witchcraft at the elite Stoneham Academy. Having reached the rare pinnacle of Witch of the First Order, Holland is the only human who has the power to thwart the vampires’ heinous designs. She alone can save the town’s residents.

While devising a plan to overthrow the vampire regime, Holland is appalled to discover that another threat to humans has found its way to Frombleton: a growing band of ravenous zombies are prowling the streets, devouring the vampire’s food source and challenging their seat of power. And to Holland’s horror, at the helm of the marauding flesh eaters is the recently returned love of her life, Jonas!

No matter who wins, the human race is doomed unless Holland can make the arduous decision to choose victory over love.

Purchase your copy of Forbidden Feast TODAY through one of the following outlets: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, and Bookish.

Foolish by Donneil D. Jackson: A Book Review

[Buy your copy of Foolish today from Amazon!]
As one of the hottest radio personalities, Kayla, the Gossip Queen, has the fast-paced, glamorous life that many dream of. But one thing eludes her. Love. Growing up in a family where her father was nothing more than a monthly check, Kayla sets her sights on finding true love, even if he comes attached to another. She’s determined to create the perfect family of husband, wife, home, and children--even if she has to slip up and make a ton of mistakes along the way.

After a decade of being with a man who constantly makes her question her role in his life and her vision of the perfect family, Kayla has to ask herself, "Am I right to fight for this love, or am I being foolish?"

CLG Review of Foolish

4 (out of 5) lattes

Every once in a while, I come across a character that makes me want to throttle them because of the choices they make. Kayla, the main character of Donneil D. Jackson's Foolish is one of those characters. And because of my need to throttle, I felt compelled to continue reading to learn of her ultimate fate. Kayla is a hot radio personality. She's beautiful, leads a glamorous life, and wants nothing more than to find love, settle down, and live happily ever after (HEA) with her family and her fabulousness. When she meets Shawn, Kayla thinks she has found THE ONE, but the ten years of roller coaster living with him, full of betrayals, lies, affairs, and heartache, says differently. The big question of Foolish is will Kayla continue to make excuses and stay in her relationship: is she foolish, or is it really love? Jackson gives us a character we want to follow until the book's ending; we want to see the drama unfold--and there is so much drama that unfolds. We want to see how her friends, whose lives are just as dramatic and fabulous, affect what Kayla does or doesn't do in her pursuit to find her slice of HEA. Foolish and Jackson's development of Kayla will definitely make you emote and react... and will make you think about JUDGING. Do we judge the Kaylas of the world, or do we try to understand what makes them tick and empathize?

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Introducing... Author Cassandra Baker Durham

Cassandra Baker Durham is a minister, author and advocate for women. She received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T) (Aggie Pride). She earned a Master of Science degree in Human Services with a specialization in Social and Community Services from Capella University.

She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (M.A.C.M.) from Liberty University.
Cassandra is currently the Program Coordinator of HIV/AIDS Services at a local AIDS services organization, where she is a strong advocate for African American women. She also teaches several Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (SISTA- Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS and SIHLE- Sisters, Informing, Healing, Living, Empowering) for the prevention and spread of HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases.

The spiritual side of Cassandra is fed at her home church Temple of Prayer, Praise and Deliverance Ministries, where she sits under the anointed leadership of Senior Pastor, Apostle Louise Baker.
Cassandra is also the author of the Salt, Light and Witnesses blog, which seeks to encourage, uplift and motivate others to walk in their divine calling as children of God.

Cassandra recently published her first devotional book, Fully Persuaded: 30 Days of Encouragement in Times of Trouble. It was selected as an Oprah’s Life Class Selection. Cassandra's first novel (from her seven deadly sins series), A Summer of Wrath, was released in June 2013.

You can learn more about Cassandra at/on: [Her Website] [Facebook] [Twitter]

[Buy your copy of Fully Persuaded: 30 Days of Encouragement in Times of Trouble today from Amazon!]
Life is full of challenges. After enduring storms, tests, trials and tribulations: we can easily feel broken, dejected, and yes, even disconnected from God.

You are not alone in this season of your life.

This book is for those who have for whatever reason lost their ability to fight back against the enemy.  If you need to feel encouraged, empowered, uplifted, and edified this is the key to unlock the door to your breakthrough.  If you need your faith lifted, and your hope and trust in God stretched, this is for you!

This book is for every person that has needed to feel renewed, refreshed, and restored by being Fully Persuaded that God can do anything, but fail!

[Buy your copy of The Summer of Wrath today from Amazon!]

Wilson stopped believing in God a long time ago.

Devastated after his father is killed in the line of duty, he assumes the task of guardian and protector of his mother and two sisters. Tormented by the kidnapping of his baby sister, he unleashes a caustic and damaging wrath that will lead him down a path of destruction and annihilation. Nothing is off limits, persecution, beatings, torture. Wilson’s destructive nature consumes him almost to the brink of madness as darkness devours his soul.

Natasha is the all American girl next door. She is beautiful, intelligent and charismatic, with a bright future ahead of her. All of that is changed in an instant when she is abducted on her way to her college campus.

Shayla Jacobs has been in love with Wilson ever since she was a teenager. She remembers what God promised her, and she refuses to stand by and watch the man she loves destroyed by wrath, anger and rage.

This story of faith, hope and redemption reveals the internal struggle against the external forces of darkness as one man comes to terms with God’s grace, mercy and love before He can find his sister.

The Summer of Wrath is a captivating, gritty look into human trafficking and the lengths one brother is willing to go to find his sister.

Q & A with Recipe for a Happy Life Author Brenda Janowitz

Brenda is the author of JACK WITH A TWIST and SCOT ON THE ROCKS. Her third novel, RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE, was recently published by St. Martin’s. Her work has also also appeared in the New York Post and Publisher’s Weekly. You can find Brenda on her Website, on Facebook, or on Twitter at @BrendaJanowitz.

[Order Recipe for a Happy Life today at Amazon, BN.com, 

Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Powell's, and Apple!]

There’s more than one recipe for a happy life.

Hannah Goodman doesn't grow up like most kids on the Upper East side. Her mother, Gray, is an award-winning photojournalist with little time for the banalities of child-rearing, and when she's not jetting off to follow the latest scoop, she's camped out at the Hotel Chelsea. The closest thing Hannah's got to a traditional matriarch is her grandmother—a glamorous widow six times over with a sprawling Hampton’s estate. But Gray is determined that her daughter resist the siren song of the trust fund set, and make her own way in the world. So Hannah does just that—becoming a successful lawyer in New York City, and dating a handsome musician. Hannah has it all, or so it seems, until one hot June day the carefully constructed pieces of her life break apart. When she throws it all in and seeks solace at her grandmother's estate, she discovers that where happiness is concerned, you don’t have to stick to the recipe.

From the author of Jack with a Twist and Scot on the Rocks comes a charming, clever, and romantic novel about three generations of women with a culture all their own.

“Brenda Janowitz has found the recipe for a great summer read: a dash of Hampton's glamour, a sprinkle of romance, and a cup of a feisty heroine you won't soon forget. RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE will keep you charmed from beginning to end.” -Julie Buxbaum, author of After You


Read an excerpt of Recipe for a Happy Life HERE!

Q&A WITH BRENDA JANOWITZ

What is Recipe for a Happy Life about?
RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE is about three generations of women with a culture all their own. When Hannah finds herself spending the summer with her glamorous grandmother, a widow six times over, at her sprawling beach-front Hamptons estate, she learns that there’s more than one recipe for happiness.

A story of mothers and daughters, grandmothers and grandchildren, RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE is a quirky story about correcting the mistakes from your past and trying to create a future for yourself.


Where did you get the idea for Recipe?
My own grandmother, of course! One summer, when I was single, Grandma Dorothy informed me that she would be renting a house in the Hamptons. No more of these silly share houses I was doing with my friends each summer. They were getting me nowhere (read: still single and over thirty). Instead, I was to stay with her and she would help me meet someone. The only problem with this scenario was that I was sure she’d meet a man before I did. She had sparkling crystal blue eyes and a killer figure. My own hazel eyes and good birthing hips were no match for her easy glamour and style.

When she found out that a Hamptons summer rental costs more than the gross national product of some countries, the idea sort of fell apart. But it gave me an idea—what if a young woman spent the summer out in the glamorous Hamptons with her even more glamorous grandmother?

Both of my own grandmothers really inspired me to come up with the character of Vivienne, the glamorous widow six times over. Neither was a widow six times over, but both of my grandmothers were very glamorous ladies. When I think of my childhood memories, I’m not likely to picture them in aprons baking cookies. I picture them in evening gowns.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?
See above: my grandma Dorothy! But becoming a mother also inspired me, as did my own mom, who is my best friend.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I wasn’t ready to write a book about the bonds of mothers, grandmothers and daughters until I became a mom myself. Once you become a mother, there are so many things you learn—like the way your mother and your mother’s mother love you. You think you know love, but once you become a mother, you learn that there are different types of love. I couldn’t write a book about women who loved each other that way until I experienced it myself.


How is Recipe for a Happy Life different from your first two novels?
My first two novels would be classified as “chick lit,” which is to say they’re smart, funny novels with heart about a single girl living in the city. And that’s exactly what I was at the time. But just as I’ve grown up, my writing has grown up, too.

This book is different in so many ways. In my first two books, I was really focused on writing a funny story. The sort of book that would make you embarrass yourself in the subway from laughing (I’ve gotten that email from numerous readers and it makes me smile each time someone tells me that!). The sort of book that could make you forget your problems for an afternoon (two different people read my second novel while getting chemo and told me that it helped them to keep a smile on their faces through an awful situation). The sort of book that’s just meant to be read on a plane, or a bus, or a beach (you could also read them on a subway, on a train, or by a lake. I don’t discriminate.).

With RECIPE FOR A HAPPY LIFE, I was looking to do something different. Something more grown up. Something deeper. The idea for the book—a granddaughter and her grandmother out in the Hamptons for the summer—was originally played for laughs. Much was made of the fact that the grandmother meets a man before her granddaughter does.

I did the first major overhaul of the novel while I was pregnant with my first son. Everything was different for me—I was changing as a person, my voice was changing, and so, too, did this novel. I began thinking more deeply about the ties that bind mothers and children, grandmothers and grandchildren. How we hurt each other. How we can forgive. What that means.

When I was six months pregnant and almost finished writing the book, my mother was rushed to the hospital for emergency open-heart surgery. It was the most harrowing 24 hour period of my life (until I had kids, but that’s another story entirely), and even though my mother made a full recovery, it took me a long time to recover myself. It was the same time that I was writing a death scene for RECIPE and it was impossible to write. I was still so scared from almost losing my mother. I wrote it quickly, tried to get through it quickly, and one of my first readers, author Lynda Curnyn, called me out on it. She told me that this wasn’t the time to write a death scene. I needed time away from it. I needed to heal. I needed to process.

She was right. It took me another year until I was able to get the scene right. And the book changed again.

The book that I finally created is the book I’m most proud of—it’s my best writing, the best story I’ve told to date. It comes out this July—a full five years after my last book came out. I hope that readers will think it was worth the wait.


Here’s a fun question: which actors would play your characters in the movie version of the book?
Oooh, this one’s tough, because one of the main characters in the book is a 76-year-old grandmother, and Hollywood typically likes ‘em young.

I think Joan Collins would be perfect to play the part of Hannah’s grandmother, but my editor likes Shirley MacLaine. (Joan, Shirley, call me!)

For the granddaughter, there are so many talented actresses I love: Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Garner, Drew Barrymore. Each would bring something really special to the story.

Major Jazz by Niyah Moore: A Book Review

[Buy your copy of Major Jazz today from Amazon and the publisher!]
"Our heated passion created some of my best compositions, but I was cursed with my daddy's blood." Major Ingram knew better than to get into a committed relationship. As much as he witnessed the heartbreak his father inflicted upon his mother, he didn't want to make the same mistakes. When his father finally walked out on them for good, his mother was broken. Something he saw and she felt for years. Major didn't want to hurt any women that same way, but it seemed as if he could never tell Sallie Aquino he loved her because there was only one her and that was his music. Major's father was a saxophone player who played the blues. He spoon-fed Major the love of music from the first day he opened his eyes to the world. Though the sax was in his blood, Major fell in love with the ivory and ebony keys the first time he heard a piano. Major developed his own passion with jazz music and by the age of sixteen, he had landed a paying gig at Bop City, an after hours nightclub in Fillmore. Fillmore, the 'Mo, was like Harlem on the bay. Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and Duke Ellington all fell into San Francisco the way they had in the Big Apple. Back in '51, the Victorian styled homes, housed finely dressed black people who owned their own businesses from cleaners to restaurants to jazz spots. They worked mornings during the week and enjoyed local and celebrity musicians at night. Up and down Fillmore Street, clubs and restaurants lined up one next to the other. On Friday nights, they went from club to party to bar until the early hours of Monday while music played nonstop. Loosely based on true testimonies, the Fillmore Jazz Era comes back to life through the fictional characters: Major Ingram, Kae Taylor, Sade and Sallie Aquino, and Frank Blue. They made jazz heartfelt through their own stories. This love story just isn't about falling in love, but how they each fell in love with a neighborhood, a scene and her, jazz music. The Fillmore Jazz Era is gone, most of the neighborhood was torn down by the Redevelopment Agency by the 1960's, but it's not forgotten, and the love for Bebop, Jazz, R&B, and Blues music that once existed remains in the heart and soul of Fillmore forever.

Watch the trailer for Major Jazz!

CLG Review of Major Jazz

5 (out of 5) lattes

I could tell you what the book's about, but I'll leave that to the book description. Instead, I'll tell you why I really enjoyed Niyah Moore's MAJOR JAZZ: setting, character, plot, and sense of community. I love when I read a story in which the setting is an integral character, and in Moore's novel, through her development of the 50s/60s jazz period that highlights the Fillmore Jazz era, readers are brought in to truly experience through all the senses a thriving time. The music, the atmosphere, the space all play an important role in how this story develops. Moore also paints wonderfully intriguing characters. What I love most about the characters? How each character's dialogue distinctly sets them all apart. I can hear, feel the differences among them. From the start of the novel, Moore sets a great pace for her plot, and it's a plot, a story that goes beyond just the dramas and conflicts of the characters to that of community and the importance of every facet of that community to an individual's life. This is a novel that I could read again, and there aren't that many of those in my collection. I'm definitely interested to see how Moore can top MAJOR JAZZ in her next novel.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Funding a Dream: Author Alisa Valdes

Nine years ago, Alisa Valdes' debut novel, The Dirty Girls Social Club, had people wondering if she was "The Latina Terry McMillan." The novel, about the loves and lives of six eclectic friends in their late twenties, not only garnered media attention, but it also became a New York Times bestseller.

Now, Valdes is moving to bring her bestselling novel to the BIG SCREEN... and you can help! Through Fundly.com, Valdes has kicked off a campaign to raise funds for a Dirty Girls movie. When talking about the book on Fundly, Valdes says, "I wrote the book I wanted to read but couldn't find." It was also the first book to explore the racial and socioeconomic diversity of Latinos in America that the mainstream completely ignores, with a black Colombian character, a blonde Cuban Jewish character, etc. -- and that, says the author, was the key to its success. "The book showed us as we truly are - multifaceted, complex, fully human - not as the dominant culture fantasizes us to be," she says.

With such a hot property like Dirty Girls, there were plenty of opportunities to bring the novel to the big or small screen, and at Fundly, you can read about those experiences and what has led Valdes to now pursue securing funds to make the movie herself.

When I asked Valdes what it would mean to have this campaign funded, COMMUNITY was a keyword for her: "We are looking to raise a small portion of our budget through crowdfunding. If we can do it, emotionally it will mean that we have the support of the community. Community is important to me."

If you loved the novel and would love even more to see the movie version, fund this campaign today! If you want to support an endeavor that would spotlight positive images of Latinas, then help fund this campaign! Be sure to watch the comical (yet painfully truthful) and entertaining video at the campaign site!

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter.

Like Valdes, I, too, believe in community. It takes a community to raise an indie talent. Support this one today!

Funding a Dream: Author Tananarive Due

One of my favorite authors is Tananarive Due. Her biggest fan is my sister. I'd put a bet on that. My sister has read and reread Due's books as if she's writing a dissertation on Due. Whenever a new one drops, she's big-eyed, excited, and on her way to a bookstore or online to buy.

The minute I learned that Tananarive, along with her husband Steven Barnes, had started a fundraising campaign for their short horror film Danger Word, I knew I wanted to put a shout out to the blogosphere in the hopes that people would hear this news and jump on board to support the project.

If you don't know Tananarive Due (and I'll try not to hold that against you), let me give you the skinny. She's an American Book Award winner and the author of the bestseller My Soul to Keep (my fave book of hers!). Her husband, Steven Barnes, has his truckload of talent as well, having written for several major TV science fiction series in the past 20 years to include The Outer Limits, The New Twilight Zone, and Andromeda.

Their short film Danger Word tells the powerful story of a 13-year-old girl and her grandfather who have survived the zombie plague in his wooded cabin—and how her birthday outing goes badly awry. It's a story about love and survival that empowers young girls.

A cool thing about this project? There are already 200 backers, including Hollywood insiders.

The Indiegogo fundraising campaign, which ends on July 29, 2013, would assist Due and Barnes on finishing post-production.

I asked Tananarive what it would mean to her to have this campaign fully funded, and her final response echoed that of author Liz DeJesus, who talked about dream fulfillment when asked about her fundraising campaign. Tananarive said

Aside from a few short scenes Steve and I wrote for a book trailer for FROM CAPE TOWN WITH LOVE with Blair Underwood, I have never seen my work translated to screen. I love movies, and I took up screenwriting in Los Angeles with the hope of seeing one of my book adaptations produced, but it hasn't happened so far. The idea to write our own movie came like a lightning bolt, and it has been one of the most liberating experiences of my life. The trailer is the only footage I've seen so far, and even that short snippet is so thrilling! I know there are other fans out there who would like to see the movies I want to see, and it's a dream come true to make those stories come to life on the screen.

You know, being a bestseller, being an award winner, being a successful writer does not mean you will always get a YES to projects you want to develop, projects you feel need to be developed. Sometimes, you can't wait for the YES of others; you have to make your own YES and work to build your dreams into realities. That's what this fundraising campaign does, just as it is doing for both writer, director J.D. Walker and author Liz DeJesus.

But even as you make your own YES, community love and involvement are important. It takes a community to raise an indie talent. Support this Indiegogo project from Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes today! While there, DEFINITELY take in the fantastic video that features Due and Barnes, the director Luchina Fisher, and the fantastic trailer to Danger Word.

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter.

Funding a Dream: Author Liz DeJesus

If you don't know Liz DeJesus, you should. Especially if you love stories with wonderfully intriguing, engaging female main characters and fantastical twists. I've known Liz for many years and have been honored to have been one of the first people to touch many of her stories during their editing phase.

Yesterday, I mentioned J.D. Walker and the fundraising campaign currently underway for her movie, The Postwoman.

Liz, too, is on a fundraising journey. For what?

For the rest of her book tour--the tour enables Liz to promote her two YA fantasy novels, First Frost [which has received amazing reviews from bloggers and other authors] and Glass Frost [which is set to be released July 19].

I was so happy to learn recently that Liz was invited to go to the Baltimore Comic Con and Baltimore Book Festival. She's eager to get there and continue on with her tour. Funds from her campaign would be used to pay for limited edition copies of First Frost, promotional items, and other travel expenses.

Just $500 would help Liz make her goal and send her to Baltimore.

Liz talked to me about what achieving her fundraising goal would mean to her. For her, it goes beyond just fulfilling this tour; it continues her childhood dreams.

It would mean that people support my artistic endeavors. That they believe that I can make my dream come true. I know it sounds cheesy, but this was what I dreamed of doing when I was a little girl stuck in the mountains of Puerto Rico. I wanted to be a writer. More importantly, I wanted to be a working author. One that was traveling and meeting new people. It's one of my favorite things to do. LOL In the past few months, I have met so many incredible people, and I want to continue to go places and meet new people. But the financial strain is making things difficult.

Help Liz continue on her literary journey by supporting her FundRazr campaign, which ends on August 20, 2013.

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter. It takes a community to raise an indie talent. Support this one today!

Funding a Dream: Writer, Director J.D. Walker

Lately, a lot of talented writers I know have created fundraising campaigns to assist in their creative pursuits. One such talent is writer, director J.D. Walker. J.D. is a Sundance Film Festival Pitching Contest winner and also an Honorable Mention winner for The Postwoman in the Sundance Table Read My Screenplay Contest. I met J.D. on Facebook and am a definite fan of her constant push to develop her craft, to place herself in places and spaces and before people that can help propel her to new levels in her endeavors.

Using Kickstarter, J.D. is seeking funds for her movie, The Postwoman. The dramatic feature film is about a single mom who develops the courage to confront her ex-husband, dysfunctional family, and teenage daughter about her secret life with another woman. Funds received from the Kickstarter campaign would be used to assist with production expenses.

When I asked J.D. what it would mean to her to have this campaign funded, she said, "It means that we can proceed with filming, get the film distributed in theaters, film some of the first early scenes of the film, market what we film to private donors and investors, and it also means a step toward the second feature film on Oscar Micheaux, which won the pitching contest at Sundance."

Please take time to visit J.D.'s Kickstarter campaign for The Postwoman and consider backing this project. Even a dollar can help, but the more you pledge, the closer J.D. will get to securing production-expense funds. It doesn't hurt that there are cool Thank You "gifts" for backers, too.

You can also help the cause by clicking any of the buttons at the end of this post to share it on G+, Facebook, and Twitter. Let other people know about this great project and equally great talent.

The Passion for Writing Series: Author Stacy-Deanne

Stacy-Deanne (Dee-Anne) is a novelist of mysteries and interracial romantic suspense. She started writing professionally in 1997 when she was nineteen years old. Stacy grew up loving the suspense genre. Her idols are Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock. Her love for Psycho and many of Hitchcock's movies fueled her fire for suspense. Stacy´s books include Everlasting (Simon and Schuster, 2007), Melody (Simon and Schuster, 2008), Giving up the Ghost (Peace in the Storm Publishing, 2011) and The Season of Sin (Peace in the Storm Publishing, 2012). She was born, raised and currently resides in Houston, Texas.


You can learn more about Stacy-Deanne at/on: [Her Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Mailing List]


The Passion for Writing - From Stacy-Deanne's Pen
Where does your passion for writing come from?
Writing is a huge part of my life. It makes me happy, keeps me satisfied, and even grounded. I’ve always struggled with horrible anxiety since childhood, and when I got older, I realized I had anxiety disorder. It is incredibly hard to live with anxiety disorder. It's almost like living in a prison at times because you're paralyzed about the simplest and most common things. It can become crippling at times, and writing is one of few things that calms me and relaxes me. Due to my disorder, I struggle with stress, which can take a toll on my health. Writing rescues me from succumbing to my nerves, and it actually gives me a sense of purpose. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t a writer. I'd probably be in a state of depression or so full of anxiety I'd be in a constant panic. I couldn’t see myself without the craft. My passion comes from the hope and comfort writing gives me. It’s not just something I do; it's a necessity to live.

If your passion for writing was a color, what color would it be and why?
It would be every single color of the rainbow. For me there are just so many sides to writing and how I feel about it. Writing is such a versatile craft, and it deeply impacts my emotions. It can bring out many sides to how I feel. I think of colors as being mirrors to our emotions, and since my emotions during writing changes from time to time, it can be any and every color to me.

How do you keep the passion burning in your relationship with storytelling?
Easy because without writing I'd be a basket case. Seriously. I'd be a complete wreck. I might be an alcoholic or pill popper if I didn't have writing to stimulate me and keep me calm. Like I said, writing fulfills me unbelievably. I feel like I was put on earth to do this. I didn’t know where I belonged or what I should do before becoming a writer. I had other dreams, but once I ventured into writing, I fell in love. I love storytelling because it allows me to live through my characters. I’m not outgoing; in fact, I consider myself reclusive. I don’t live my life through the outside, but I live it through the inside, which is my imagination. Ever since I was a child, I imagined things and pretended to be other people. Through storytelling I’m in control of other people (characters) and that’s the most exciting part. I also love the fact that something stems from my mind and others wanna read it. LOL! That’s just too cool.

[Buy your copy of The Wild Life today from the publisher's site!]
When Albany Detective Brianna “Bree” Morris learns that Cuban crime lord Milan Varela wants her estranged father dead, she heads off to Miami to find out why. With Homicide Detective Jayce Matthews and her ex-lover Detective Steven Kemp she devises a plot to get close to the Varela organization.

Brianna finds herself attracted to the older Milan and falls deep into his web of seduction while fighting to keep her mind on her mission. Milan is equally drawn to Brianna and vows to win her trust and her heart.

Is Milan really the villain when it comes to Brianna’s father? Or is he the victim?

Is Brianna’s father really in danger or is there more to the story than anyone could ever imagine?

Brianna risks her life to save her father’s but will she end up losing her own?

The steamy, explosive, and super-hot new installment in the Bree and Steven Series!

Excerpt from The Wild Life

“What do you expect me to say, Steve?” Brianna sat beside Jayce. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”

He bent over her. “Can’t anything go well for you, woman? Why do you keep getting yourself in these predicaments?”

“Oh excuse me for coming home and finding a man in my kitchen!”

Jersey tugged on her ears. “I have a huge headache and one of my officers has just been attacked. The last thing I need is for you two to argue.”

Steven and Brianna made faces at each other.

“We’re worried about you, Morris. Tell us what’s going on so we can help.”

“I don’t know if you can help.”

Davis slunk into the room and rested at Brianna’s feet. She scooped up the brown feline.

“The guy that tried to kill me…” She scratched Davis’ ear. “Well he worked for Milan Varela.”

Steven gaped. “What the f*** did you just say?”

Brianna shrugged.

“Are you f***** kidding me? A man who worked for the head of the Southern Cuban Mafia was here? Here?”

“I was telling Bree that a friend of mine in the FBI might be able to help her,” Jayce said. “It’s about her father. They’re looking for him.”

“George?” Jersey’s green eyes beamed from behind her glasses. “What the hell would the Cuban Mafia want with George?”

“No telling. You know the life my father lives. It’s full of risks and he makes no apologies for it.”

Jersey touched the back of her neck. “How the hell could he even get close to Milan Varela in the first place?”

“So this is the type of stuff your father’s always into?”

“Jayce my father has never been a father to me. He stays gone for decades at a time and pops up probably once every ten or fifteen years when he wants something. I wonder if he even remembers he has a
daughter half the time.” She kissed Davis’ head. “Right now what’s important is this mess he’s got going with Milan. Why would he want my dad dead?”

“I just can’t believe this. I mean your dad has been involved in some shady things during his life but nothing like this. What are you gonna do, Morris?”

“As much as I hate him, I can’t let anything happen to him. I gotta find out where he is.”