Clean Fiction novelist Marian L. Thomas is a dynamic
story-teller with four engaging and dramatic novels to her credit. Her books
have been seen on national television stations and featured in print magazines
and newspapers. She has also been a guest on many broadcast and online radio
stations. Her titles, My Father’s Colors and Strings of Color both received the
USA Best Book Finalist Award. Mrs. Thomas might be the first African-American
pioneer of contemporary women’s clean fiction. She refuses to lace her work
with explicit sexual themes or profanity. (Taken from her website http://www.marianlthomas.com/).
On April 4, 2014, Mrs. Thomas releases her 5th
novel, Blue Butterfly.
I’m
really excited and honored that Stacy Campbell picked my spot as one of her
stops during her blog tour. Stacy and I became friend like many others, on
Facebook. I had the pleasure of finally meeting her last year at the NationalBook Club Conference in Atlanta, GA. Stacy’s new novel, Forgive me is a
definitely pager turner. I couldn’t read fast enough.
Stacy
sat down and talked about Forgive Me, what brings her the most joy as well as a sharing with us something that she loves to do. I hope you enjoy.
Yolanda:
Tell us about Forgive Me. What is it about? How did you come up with the title?
Are there any characters from Dream Girl Awakened in Forgive Me?
Stacy:
Forgive Me
is the sequel to Dream Girl Awakened. It
focuses on the fallout of a lot of things that took place in DGA. Lies,
infidelity, and parental neglect led the characters to make bad choices. Forgive Me explores what happens five years
later. I came up with the title because the characters kept talking to me,
telling me they wanted a do-over and a second chance with the people they hurt.
Yes, the crew is back from the first book.
Yolanda:
What or who brings you the most joy and why?
Stacy:
This may
sound sappy, but I get joy from living. Each day is another chance to grow, to
learn, and to do better. We chase so many things that we forget to give thanks
for being able to walk, talk, breathe, read, have freedom, live in a country
where we can openly serve God, etc. Living is the cake; everything else is the
buttercream icing.
Yolanda:
Tell the readers something about yourself that they would be surprised to
know/your hobbies.
Stacy:
I love to
cook. I was attached to my mother’s hip around the age of 8 or 9 in the
kitchen. I’d follow her around, ask questions, and pull up a chair to see how
she prepared meals. I mostly cook from scratch, but my family gifted me my
mother’s “recipe suitcase” when she passed on. I trace my fingers over her
hand-written recipes.
Yolanda:
Did you always want to be a writer?
Stacy:
No. I’ve
always been an avid reader, and I’ve been writing since I was small, but when I
brought up the subject of writing for a living to some older relatives, they
said, “Child, only fools and dreamers go to Hollywood to act or write books for
a living. Get you a real job.”
Yolanda:
What is one thing you hope that readers would get from reading any of your
books?
Stacy:
I want
readers to know that life isn’t perfect, neither are people. It’s easy to judge
someone who doesn’t suffer from our issues and urges, but we’d all shrink back
if someone put a spotlight on our weaknesses.
Yolanda:
What are you currently reading?
Stacy:
I am
reading/doing Kicking In The Wall by
Barbara Abercrombie. I read writing exercise books when I’m working on a novel
so I can write consistently. It also eliminates my fear that someone else’s writing
voice or style will creep in my head. Barbara challenges the writer to replace
the “you” in each prompt with characters from your work so you can get to know
them better.
Yolanda:
What makes your book stand out from the crowd?
My goal with both books
was to write with a fast pace and a sense of immediacy.
Publisher: Strebor Books/Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 978-1593094584
336 pages
About
the book: In this fast-paced
sequel to the debut novel,Dream Girl Awakened, five characters come to grips with their
pasts amidst broken friendships, infidelity, grief, and loss.
Aruba
Dixon has hit rock bottom. After two years of marriage, her second husband has
died of Lou Gehrig’s disease, and she finds herself wanting to end it all. A
botched suicide attempt makes her parents reach out to her ex-husband, James,
for assistance. Up until that late-night phone call, James is living the golden
life of success and wealth, but now everything is about to spin out of control…
Meanwhile, Tawatha Gibson is grateful for the chance to be free again. After
serving five years in prison, she is released on a technicality. Though shunned
from those she loves most, Tawatha clings to the dream that she will be given
another chance to start anew. But when her daughter, Aunjanue, learns about her
release from prison, she’s not sure she can celebrate her mother’s freedom, let
alone forgive her.
Then
there’s Victoria Faulk, who struggles with forgiving and forgetting. After a
messy divorce, she wrestles with feelings of inadequacy and doubt. When her new
beau, Emory Wilkerson, proposes in front of family and friends, she knows
she’ll never be happy until she forgives the one person who hurt her—her old
“friend,” Aruba Dixon.
As the
events unfold around the lives of these women, they face the challenge of
letting go of the past and building new bonds. Will they come full circle and
learn to move on, or will their past mistakes follow them forever?
I hope you’ll support Stacy and purchase a copy of Forgive Me, available
February 11, 2014.
Author Bio: Stacy
Campbell is an author born and raised in Sparta, Georgia. A graduate of Albany
State University, Stacy was bitten by the writing bug after hearing her elderly
relatives share family stories on her front porch. Her work has been published by the Detroit
Writers Guild, Indiana Writers at Home, and Georgia
magazine. Her first novel, Dream Girl
Awakened, was published in February 2013 under Strebor Books, a Simon and
Schuster imprint. Stacy’s subsequent
novels, Forgive Me, and Wouldn’t Change a Thing, are also under
the Strebor imprint and will be published in 2014 and 2015, respectively. When
she’s not creating new characters or honing the writing craft, she’s most
likely spending time with her family, trying out new recipes, or dining at new
restaurants for dinner ideas. You can visit her at www.stacyloveswriting.com, www.facebook.com/georgiapeach2814,
or @stacycampbell20 on Twitter.
Today, I have the honor of hosting Shelia Goss
during her The Joneses Blog Tour. I would like to thank Shelia for taking the
time to stop by and giving my followers a sneak peek at The Joneses, which will
be available on February 18, 2014. Shelia also has a few gifts she’s giving
away. Details on how to enter are below.
ISBN: 978-1593095222
Publisher: Strebor Books/Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: February 18, 2014
Genre: Fiction
336 pages
BLURB
Keeping up with the
Joneses isn’t all it’s made out to be. In this intriguing novel full of drama
and plot twists, one family tries to hold on to their “perfect” life before
their secrets, lies, and scandals are exposed.
On the outside, the Joneses seem like the ideal family: Royce Jones, a funeral
home mogul, and his wife, Lexi, are parents to Charity, Hope, and Lovie—and
everybody wants to be them. But it’s true that money can’t buy happiness, and
the Joneses are harboring secrets that can’t stay hidden forever…It’s only a
matter of time before the Joneses’ perfect life goes spinning out of
control.
EXCERPT
Avoiding Lexi hadn't
been easy, and it seemed that it was all for naught. I heard her coming long
before she made it to my office. I looked up toward the door awaiting her
entrance.
Lexi stormed in my
office enraged. "Royce, you can run, but you can't hide. You caused this
problem and you're going to fix it. Now tell me how you plan on doing it, so I
can deal with other things."
Lexi plopped down in
front of my desk.
"Hello to you, too,
my beautiful wife."
"Save the
pleasantries for your customers." Lexi held her hand in the air and then
looked around. "Snap! There are no customers."
"Calm down. If
there were some, you would run them off with that mouth of yours."
"Calm? How can I be
calm when according to you, we're going broke?"
Available
in stores everywhere on February 18, 2014.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shelia M. Goss is a
national bestselling author and a screenwriter.The
Jonesesis her seventeenth book
in print. She writes in multiple genres.USA Todaysays, “Goss has an easy, flowing style with her
prose…” She's received many accolades in her career, including being a finalist
in the mystery category for the 2013 AA Literary Award Show and a 2012 Emma
Award Finalist. Her books have been on several best sellers lists, such as:Essence
Magazine, Dallas Morning NewsandBlack Expressions Book Club.Shelia loves to hear from readers so feel free to
contact her via her website:www.sheliagoss.comor follow her on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/sheliagossor Twitter:www.twitter.com/sheliamgoss.
THE JONESES GIVEAWAY
Lexi Jones, one of the main characters, from THE JONESES loves
her handbags so it’s just befitting that the grand prize be a handbag.
Contest ends on February 25, 2014.
GRAND
PRIZE:
One (1) random entrant will receive a small Coach handbag {Retail
value: $188.00, 10 3/4″(L) x 7″(H) x 3 1/4″(W)} and Bath & Body Works
minatures (Retail value: $19.75)
RUNNER
UP:
One (1) random entrant will receive an autographed copy of
Montana’s Way.
10
ENTRANTS:
Ten (10) random entrants will receive the electronic version of
the book Hollywood Deception.
Open to U.S. & Canada residents only. Avoid where prohibited
by law.
To enter please click the rafflecopter giveaway link below.
I’m super excited today. My sis
from another mother, Cheris Hodges’ new book, Love After War hits the shelves
nationwide today. If you love reading romance novels, well you need to add this
book to list of must reads. Even if you don’t like reading romance novels, you’ll
still enjoy Love After War. Of course we know how romance novels end, but what
we don’t know is what it takes for them to get to happily ever after in the
end. The way Cheris weaves her stories are simply amazing. I’m always getting
lost in the pages. Take a few minutes to read the letter from the main
character, Dana Singleton, and you’ll see what I mean.
From the desk of Dana Singleton:
All
I wanted was a cup of coffee when I walked into the LA Starbucks. I didn't want
to take a trip down bad memory lane. But that is just what happened when the
lights went out and I saw his face.
Adrian Bryant.
Have you ever had an ex that you
just couldn't get over — no matter how hard you tried? I moved back to New
York. Three-thousand miles and a whole other time zone away. I didn't hear from
Adrian. I took photographs, I was published in some of the nation's best
magazines. But one favor to my dearest friend, Imani Gulliam-Thomas (you
remember her, right? Went on a reality show, met and married the man of her
dreams? Too Hot For TV.) and I'm back in the clutches of a man who
dumped me via text message.
Why didn't I resist his kiss? Why
did he break my heart? Will I be able to forgive him or should I forgive him?
We're talking a dear John letter in 160 characters or less. I don't want to be
the same fool twice, but his kiss took me to another place. Still, I feel as if
he's hiding something else from me. . .
So, what is Dana going to do?
Find out in Love After War, in stores now!
When club owner Adrian Bryant
discovers his biological father is hotel magnate Elliot Crawford, his life
unravels. Shunned by Crawford while he and his mother struggled, Adrian hatches
a high-profile plan to destroy the Crawford name--and the reputations of his
two half-brothers. But to shield the woman he loves from the hell he intends to
unleash, Adrian has to let her go.
Photographer Dana Singleton is
heartbroken and confused by Adrian's behavior. But just when she's given up on
their relationship, she begins to discover the truth--and a dark side of Adrian
she never knew existed. As the stakes get higher, she will have to ask herself
if she can love a man who is capable of such vengeance--or if he can learn to
forgive...
You can purchase a copy by
clicking the links below.
Cheris Hodgeswas bitten by the writing bug at an early age and
always knew she wanted to be a writer. She is a 1999 graduate of Johnson C.
Smith University and a staff writer at Creative Loafing magazine in Charlotte,
North Carolina. A native of Bennettsville, South Carolina, Cheris loves hearing
from her readers.
Today,
I have the honor and privilege to interview the one and only Nina Foxx. Nina, I
would like to thank you for the opportunity to interview you. Welcome to The
Reading Life with Yolanda. My home here on the internet is very laid back. So,
what’s your drink of choice?
Nina
is an award winning author, film maker and self-described fa-SHOE-nista. Her
alter ego is Cynnamon Foster. Cynnamon has been begging to be let out for quite
a while. She tied Nina up and put her in a closet and has been writing ever
since.
1.Cynnamon, I absolutely loved Book
One in your Eastern Spice series. Will you tell the readers more about Eastern
Spice and what they can expect? How did you come up with the title?
Actually, Book One was Southern
Comfort, but the publisher changed so ES is labelled book one. So, make sure you start reading there. ;-)
First, I wanted to write some material with the elements of true erotica
but always with a strong story line. My
story had to be sexy and it had to make sense.
So I did a few short stories first to try it out. As Cynnamon, I had a
piece published in an anthology edited by Lori Bryant Woolridge. That was called “IN the Shadow of the
Midnight Train”. Anyway, I decided on a
good, sexy espionage story, or sexpionage. In my real-life, I travel a lot, for my job or otherwise, and I decided
to incorporate some of the places I’d experienced and things I’d learned about
the various cultures and places I visited into the story. So after Southern Comfort, The two main
characters take off to save the world (!).
In Eastern Spice, they travel to
India to solve a case there. One day, my
husband was on a business trip in India (without me), and a woman was found
dead floating in the hotel pool where he was staying. He saved the newspaper story and the idea was
born for Eastern Spice. We got married
at the Taj Mahal (the first time…we renew our vows every year), and during that
trip I fell in love with India and the richness and nuances of the culture, so
the characters for the book visit there.
The next Book is Northern Passions,
and it takes place in Paris and Northern France. Again, I did some consulting there. Paris has long been one of my favorite cities
(followed closely by Tokyo), so the characters gallivant throughout France in
this adventure.
Western Fusion is the
fourth book, and this one takes place in Istanbul. I did some research there as
well as was really fascinated by the melding of East and West and Istanbul’s
history as the crossroads of the world. There will probably be a few short
stories in between because you might have noticed that Seria disappears. I don’t think I am done with her yet but I
haven’t decided where she went to with her mysterious older lover. There is something
intriguing about a man with one blue eye and one brown eye.
2.How did you decided to write under
the pseudonym, Cynnamon Foster? You’re also writing under the name Beryl
Jennings, when should readers expect something from Beryl? How do you balance
writing in multiple genres?
When
I decided to write erotica, my (then) agent (now deceased) suggested I use a
different name to separate the genres for my readers. I’m still mixed on it, but I’m a few books in
as Cynnamon so I will go with it. Beryl
Jennings may become Nina Foxx Jennings and that will be more literary. (Jennings is really my last name). There is a book being shopped now. I read everything and write what I feel like,
and it comes out the way it does. The Foxx/Jennings
book, if I had more courage, would have been written as a memoir, but as it
stands, its creative non-fiction or a true story told in novel format. I
changed some things (the actuality of them, not the essence) to make it flow
like a novel. But to confuse things,
Nina Foxx has edited a creative non-fiction anthology that will be published by
Strebor/Simon and Schuster next year.
3.Is
there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either
growing up or as an adult?
I
read all the time. Growing up I read my father’s books, which meant science
fiction most of the time. I cut my teeth
on the Lord of The Rings, Stephen King and Greek Mythology. Now I have very eclectic reading tastes. I
read Sci Fi and Horror all the time. I
read erotica classics like Anais Nin and The Story Of O. I love books that
teachyou tidbits about other cultures.
For instance, I’m reading Americanah now. I also enjoy Percival
Everett. I think he is my favorite
author ever. I actually asked him to supply a blurb for my literary book since
he was on the selection committee for the Doctorow Award for Experimental
Fiction and it was short listed….
4.Can
you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
The biggest challenge was learning about the
industry. I self-pubbed my first book
because no one told me that was hard, then accidentally bumped into an agent
who had to convince me to go to a major house. She sold it pretty quickly, so I
skipped all the rejection letters, etc.
A major challenge was that I found that so many black authors are forced
into a hole. I write a lot of things for
a lot of people, but she only wanted to sell the “chic lit” style books because
that was what was hot then. The literary
book that I mentioned—I had that ten years ago and she told me that it was
phenomenal writing, but she didn’t feel as if the market was ready for this
type of story from a black female. I
mean, really??!! (I fired her.) Now, it’s
interesting how the tides have turned. Self-publishing has changed so
much. You know that for sure when your
agent says things like “I’m not sure this publisher is doing anything for you
that you can’t do yourself.” Now major
houses have to convince establish authors that they can offer something that
they can’t get by going it alone.
5.If
you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or
getting it published that you would change?
I think you would change every novel a little after
it was done if you could. Time and the
process changes you. You are absolutely a different person when you finish than
when you started. That means when you
end, you would have written a different book that when you started.
6.What
are your current projects?
Lots.
Finishing the next Cynnamon Books and the anthology. Getting the literary book out there. A few
shorts stories in the hopper. I also
have an unsold YA and a children’s book.
I’m going to be voicing the audio for one of my books in audio format, plus
I produced a few films. I just had one at Sundance and now I have one at the
Toronto Film Festival in the Fall. The rights to my play (on DVD) have been
sold in several African Countries so I’m even considering mounting another
play.
7.What
do you think most characterizes your writing?
I think that the locations
are often as much a character as the characters are.
8.What
advice do you have for up and coming authors?
Read and learn everything
you can about the business first.
9.I
always throw in a wacky question…Have you ever gone out in public with your
shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said, the
heck with it?
Absolutely. I drove to work
in my slippers once and forgot my shoes.
I wore slippers all day long.
Fortunately, I work in tech and you are allowed to be quirky. It’s almost encouraged.
Once
again, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. I appreciate it
so much.
My
Eastern Spice Review
I was so happy when I found out that Cynnamon Foster had a new book.
Eastern Spice is Book One in the 69 Degree series. When I found out that it was
a series, I did a Snoopy dance. I love Cynnamon Foster. She's never
disappointed me. Eastern Spice was a story that I didn't want to end. At one
point, I began reading slower, savoring each word. Main characters Desiree
& Sam have so much chemistry. Not only are they co-workers/partners, but
lovers as well. They have to learn how to keep their emotions at bay while
working on a case in India. Cynnamon writes with so much detail that I felt I
was working alongside them. Anyone can write a book filled with sex. But, it
takes a great author to be able to have not only page after page of sex but a
great storyline filled with drama and suspense. While reading, a Cynnamon
Foster novel, I'm always taking notes. I can't wait to read Book Two. I wonder
what will the tag team of Sam & Desiree get into next. If you're looking
for a page turner filled with drama and intrigue, I highly recommend this book!
Today, Marissa Monteilh,
pronounced (Mon-tay) stopped by The Reading Life with Yolanda to spend time
with her and her readers before she heads into her writing cave. The Reading
Life with Yolanda is the last stop on The Blogging Women of the Worthy’s
Anatomy Tour. Marissa, thank you so much for the opportunity.
The readers have been
begging for a Dr. Feelgood sequel. Marissa finally delivered with You’ve Got It
Bad and didn’t miss a beat.
Paperback: 342 pages
Publisher: 4D Publishing (August 6, 2013)
Genre: Fiction
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0970414196
ISBN-13: 978-0970414199
About the book
The good doctor, Dr.Makkai returns
for the long-awaited sequel to the highly acclaimed novel, Dr. Feelgood, the
steamy tale of a popular heart surgeon who repairs hearts in his professional
life, and breaks them in his personal life. His daughter Fonda is now
five-years old and her mother, Monday Askins, who abandoned Fonda after giving
birth, leaving her to her father, is back and vows to make good on her threat to get her daughter back if it's the last thing she does. Dr. Feelgood is once again unattached after his split with Mary Jane, and he begins a journey of breaking the generational curses handed down by his father, who is a real, true, rolling stone. But Monday has other plans, a test to see if Dr. Feelgood is still the playboy who's got it bad for the ladies of the world, or maybe it's Monday who's got it bad, too.
To Forgive or Not To
Forgive… This is what Marissa
had to say.
Is there a limit as to
what you are willing to forgive someone for? If someone killed your family
member in a jealous rage, or physically abused your child during the few hours
you allowed them to baby sit, or if someone beat your mother to within an inch
of her life - could you say, "I forgive you" and mean it?
In You've Got It Bad,
the sequel to Dr. Feelgood, Dr. Makkai Worthy faces this challenge - to forgive
to not to forgive. We're told we should forgive for ourselves, more than for
the other person, and that harboring unforgiveness leaves us stuck and gives
the other person power. But is there a limit to what most of us are willing to
forgive? Sometimes accepting an apology is easier than saying the three words
that we're told will set us free. We know that the Bible say, though if we're
honest with ourselves, we know that it's sometimes easier said than done.
I enjoyed writing this
sequel, and was surprised to find that Dr. Worthy was faced with this dilemma.
I didn't intend for it to happen but it did, and as a writer, I was more torn
between what I would do, and what I thought I knew Dr. Worthy would do,
than keeping myself focused on the story and allowing Dr. Worthy to surprise
even me.
You've Got It Bad is
more than simply a story about a man who is a player, who is the son if a
rolling-stone, a chip off the old block. It is a story of how our actions are
based on what we've been shown by example, taught, and told. To undo isn't
easy. Sometimes doing what's wrong is comfortable, and that comfort zone can
keep us in misery, even though we swear we don't want to be there.
I hope you take the time
to read You've Got It Bad. It took months and months of blood, sweat and tears
to show the journeys of these amazing characters. But I'm proud of how it
turned out, and I hope that you will be entertained by it. If you are, please
let someone know.
Thanks, Yolanda L. Gore, for this opportunity.
You are appreciated!
Marissa, thank you so much for your guest blog.
In honor
of Marissa Monteilh I have a contest that everyone can enter. How would you like to receive a Marissa Monteilh gift
set? One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Chocolate Ship, Hot Boyz,
Hot Girlz, Dr. Feelgood & You've Got
It Bad along with an extra surprise. The total gift set is valued at $75. So, I'm sure you want to know what you need to do to win. It's
very simple! Share the Amazon link for You've Got It Bad on your social media
pages: FB and Twitter. You can also post the book cover on Instagram. You get
an entry every time you post (within reasons). All you have to do is tag me in
the post. You can find me on Twitter: ILC1 and on Instagram: yoyog74. Here is
the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Youve-Got-Bad-Feelgood-Sequel/dp/0970414196/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375973714&sr=1-1&keywords=you%27ve+got+it+bad
Contest ends on August 17th. The winner will
be announced on August 19th. This contest isn't affiliated with Facebook or its
entities. Good luck everyone!
Readers you
can find Marissa on Facebook & Twitter.
