Cheris Hodges's Blog, page 42

Condom Nation comes to Charlotte

Cheris takes an HIV test

In Charlotte, N.C., there are at least 450 people who are HIV positive and don't know it.

It's scary to take an HIV test, even if you've been careful and practice safe sex. The questions that the test administrator asks you will make you think. Did I use a condom the last time I had sex? Is my boyfriend cheating with one of those 450 people who don't know they have HIV?



Putting all of that aside, I took a rapid HIV test today. Here's how it went down:








I pretty much knew my status when I went to take this test. But, according to ABC News, the HIV rate among black women living in some U.S. cities is the same rate as that of some African countries.

"This disease is alive and well in this country," said Dr. Carlos Del
Rio, principal investigator for the Atlanta area of the study and
professor of medicine and infectious disease at Emory University School
of Medicine in Atlanta. "But this epidemic is the face of the forgotten
people."



There are "hot spots" where the disease thrives in this country, Del Rio
said, and most of those areas are some of the most impoverished parts
of the United States.

 Find a testing location in your area by clicking here.

More from Mimi Collins . . .

Basically, she's not a killer but don't push her.



I think I have PTSD from this relationship. When I met Ethan Morris, I
was ready to spend the rest of my life with him. Too bad Ethan was ready
to spend his life sticking his little -- and I do mean little -- head
into every woman who offered him a taste. If I wasn't too cute from
prison, I would've put two in the back of his skull when I walked into
my townhouse and found him on the sofa with some random plastic broad.
God. I. Need. A. Vacation. --Mimi Collins.

It's a reunion, it's a sale. If It Isn't Love is $1.99 until Monday

Attention!! The price has been updated on Amazon! $1.99 until July 16th! 









Order If It Isn't Love from Smashwords.com with the coupon code:  MZ95R

Order If It Isn't Love from Amazon.com starting July 12 for $1.99

Q&A with author Aaron Ashford

South Carolina native Aaron Ashford has always been an avid reader and a closet writer. While he was a student at South Carolina State University, he started writing his first novel. But it wasn't until he started his own counseling service that he decided to follow his dream and become a published author.

His first book, Closure, was released in 2009.

Ashford talked to me about writing and his latest works.



1.       Tell
the readers what prompted you to start writing. 






I have always had a love of both reading and writing that
goes back to at least third grade or so. It was something that came easy to
me, because I am always imagining "what if?" I was prompted to
write a novel after I finished college and found time for leisure reading
again.  One night, I had some bad insomnia and just started writing and
before I knew it characters started getting acquainted with one another, a plot
was formed and a resolution was had.




2.       Tell
the readers about your Closure series.






Closure was the product of my insomnia.  I wanted to
write about an issue that was somewhat controversial such as infidelity, but
use male characters (Jason and Kevin) as the lead so that readers could see
that men are equally impacted by infidelity; no different than women.  For Jason, infidelity affected him early on and he was never able to truly commit in
future relationships.  For Kevin, it was the impact of infidelity through
his father and consequently he saw the impact on his mother.  As a married
man he decides not to stray and wants to keep his marriage together in spite of
obvious signs that his wife has other ideas.  Closure is different for
every person and every situation and for these characters it was necessary. 
My years as a licensed therapist have taught me that when people are hurt
and never heal that they only offer hurt to others disguised as love.  


 3.       Do
you plan to write sequels about these characters? 



Initially, I planned
a sequel but right now it's not in the works.  Closure was released in
2009 and Getting Closure was released in 2012 which was the re-release that has
an epilogue, which picks up when the original ended providing some previously
unreleased footage, and a totally redesigned cover, which is on my independent
publishing label iWrite Publishing.  It also has the first three chapters
of my latest novel In the Moment due out February, 2013.  There
are plans for my characters to make appearances in other stories.  



4.       What’s
the most rewarding thing for you about being an author? 






For me the most rewarding thing about being an author is
developing something inside of my mind, translating it to paper and having
other people read it and enjoy themselves.  As a fan of fiction to have
a book in print is still overwhelming.  I've had people who I didn't know email me their feedback about the book and how they enjoyed and how much
they are looking forward to the next book.  That is such an awesome
feeling.


5.       How
can readers follow you on social media?






 I'm on Facebook (Aaron Ashford) and Twitter
(AaronLAshford), my website is aaronlashford.com I'm on Myspace as well, but nobody checks that anymore.  I miss Myspace.