Michelle Lindo-Rice's Blog, page 39
May 12, 2015
Author: Vanessa Miller Print Length: 131 pages Publisher:...
Author: Vanessa Miller Print Length: 131 pages Publisher: Praise Unlimited Enterprises (January 28, 2015) Genre: Christian Fiction ASIN: B00OJT6X5O
Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. She started writing as a child, spending countless hours either reading or writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels. Vanessa’s creative endeavors took on new meaning in1994 when she became a Christian. Since then, her writing has been centered on themes of redemption, often focusing on characters facing multi-dimensional struggles. Vanessa’s novels have received rave reviews, with several appearing on Essence Magazine’s Bestseller’s List. Miller’s work has receiving numerous awards, including “Best Christian Fiction Mahogany Award” and the “Red Rose Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction.” Miller graduated from Capital University with a degree in Organizational Communication. She is an ordained minister in her church, explaining, “God has called me to minister to readers and to help them rediscover their place with the Lord.” Vanessa has recently completed the For Your Love series for Kimani Romance and How Sweet the Sound for Abingdon Press, first book in a historical set in the Gospel era which releases March 2014. Vanessa is currently working on an ebook series of novellas in the Praise Him Anyhow series. She is also working on the My Soul to Keep series for Whitaker House.
Isaac Walker is back with a vengeance. As old enemies from his past resurface Isaac desperately tries to hold onto his faith in God’s ability to fight his battles. Nina and Isaac raised their youngest son, Isaac Walker Junior (Ikee) as far away from the hood and drug life as they could get him. But the sins of the father were too strong and too deadly for the son to avoid. Once Ikee leaves the church to become a gang banger Isaac is pulled back into a life he left behind so long ago… and only God knows how this nightmare will end.
Website Facebook Twitter Amazon Profile
May 10, 2015
Behind the Scenes: Interview with Kimberla Lawson Roby
As a fan of Kimberla Lawson Roby and the Reverend Curtis Black Series, I had two questions I wanted to ask. I am honored to share her responses with you. The Ultimate Betrayal
Kimberla, I've followed the Curtis family over the years and have enjoyed them. I've noticed a change in the good reverend and I like it. Was this a conscious decision on your part? Yes, it definitely was. For years, Curtis was consumed with money, power, and women, and more than anything, I wanted him to begin turning his life around for the better. I wanted him to become a true man of God and also a faithful husband.
In The Ultimate Betrayal, it's all about Alicia Black. Tell us a little bit about who she is. Is she her Daddy's child? Alicia is certainly her father's daughter. She wants what she wants when she wants it, and like the old Curtis, she's willing to do whatever she has to in order to get it. In THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, however, she struggles with the idea of doing right versus doing wrong, and it all weighs very heavily on her conscience. She honestly doesn't know what to do, one way or the other.About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Release Date: June 9th
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the AuthorKimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Reverend Curtis Black Series. Those titles include: The Prodigal Son, A House Divided, The Reverend's Wife, Love, Honor, & Betray, Be Careful What You Pray For, The Best of Everything, Sin No More, Love & Lies, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of A Good Thing, and Casting the First Stone. Kimberla also has 10 standalone titles: A Christmas Prayer, The Perfect Marriage, Secret Obsession, A Deep Dark Secret, One in A Million, Changing Faces, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Here & Now, and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois. Web Site: kimroby.com, Facebook: facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby, Twitter: twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
Kimberla, I've followed the Curtis family over the years and have enjoyed them. I've noticed a change in the good reverend and I like it. Was this a conscious decision on your part? Yes, it definitely was. For years, Curtis was consumed with money, power, and women, and more than anything, I wanted him to begin turning his life around for the better. I wanted him to become a true man of God and also a faithful husband.
In The Ultimate Betrayal, it's all about Alicia Black. Tell us a little bit about who she is. Is she her Daddy's child? Alicia is certainly her father's daughter. She wants what she wants when she wants it, and like the old Curtis, she's willing to do whatever she has to in order to get it. In THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL, however, she struggles with the idea of doing right versus doing wrong, and it all weighs very heavily on her conscience. She honestly doesn't know what to do, one way or the other.About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Release Date: June 9th
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the AuthorKimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Reverend Curtis Black Series. Those titles include: The Prodigal Son, A House Divided, The Reverend's Wife, Love, Honor, & Betray, Be Careful What You Pray For, The Best of Everything, Sin No More, Love & Lies, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of A Good Thing, and Casting the First Stone. Kimberla also has 10 standalone titles: A Christmas Prayer, The Perfect Marriage, Secret Obsession, A Deep Dark Secret, One in A Million, Changing Faces, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Here & Now, and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois. Web Site: kimroby.com, Facebook: facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby, Twitter: twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
May 8, 2015
SNEAK PEAK: The Ultimate Betrayal: Chapters 1-2
Read an Excerpt from the Latest in the Curtis Black Series by Kimberla Lawson RobyThe Ultimate Betrayal
Chapter 1
Alicia’s prayers had been answered. She and Phillip were finally going to be married—again. It had been six years since their first wedding, but in two months, she would walk down the aisle of her father’s church and live happily ever after. She was fully committed to Phillip this time around, and unlike before, she wouldn’t betray him. She wouldn’t sleep with another man behind his back. Just thinking about how selfish she’d been and how terribly she’d treated Phillip still upset her, but thankfully, he finally trusted her again. There had been moments when Alicia hadn’t been sure he ever would. Still, she’d gone out of her way doing all she could to show him just how much she loved and adored him and wanted to be his wife. From this point on, they would be together until death do us part, no matter what.Phillip stood at the bedroom window of Alicia’s condo, looking as handsome as ever, and Alicia smiled at him. He winked at her but continued his phone conversation. He’d driven over last night and was now on the phone with her dad, discussing church business. Phillip had returned to his assistant pastor position at Deliverance Outreach in Mitchell, Illinois, which was the reason he and Alicia had purchased a home there. With all his church responsibilities, it was better for him to reside in the same city as his job so he would have quick access to the church and to any members who needed him. Phillip had moved in a month ago, but it wouldn’t be long before Alicia joined him, as she now had a buyer for her Chicago-area condo and would be closing on the sale in six weeks. She’d even begun moving some of her belongings out to the house in Mitchell. She would certainly miss Covington Park, along with much of the culture and excitement that the Chicago area provided, but she also couldn’t wait for her and Phillip to live as husband and wife again.Things were going to be good between them. They would have a great life, and she thanked God for second chances. As a matter of fact, God had blessed her in such a tremendous way that she sometimes shed tears uncontrollably. Here she’d committed adultery against Phillip—hurting him to the core—yet he’d found it in his heart to forgive her. And he’d never once stopped loving her.Then, there was that awful second marriage she’d entered into with the likes of Pastor JT Valentine. The man had slept around with more women than Alicia could count, and the whole experience had been a nightmare. Still, God had delivered her from JT and his madness and allowed her to move on and forget about him.And if those blessings hadn’t been enough, she was a successful novelist who would be releasing her fourth book in a few months. She had such a wonderfully kind and loyal audience of readers; some of whom read her work because of her father’s worldwide status, but the majority seemed to genuinely love her stories and she was grateful for that.Phillip ended his call. “I’m gonna get ready so I can head back home. Your dad and I and some of the other officers are meeting for lunch today.”“I need to get ready myself. I’m meeting Melanie at noon so we can pick out our jewelry for the wedding.” Melanie Richardson was Alicia’s best friend, and she and her husband, Brad, who was Phillip’s best friend, were going to be their attendants. Alicia and Phillip had considered having bridesmaids and groomsmen, too, but then decided they wanted to keep their ceremony as intimate and as meaningful as possible. That way their day would be about them and the love they shared, versus some massive, impersonal affair.“Oh yeah, that’s right,” he said, strolling over to Alicia and hugging her. “But more important, have I told you how beautiful you are today?”“As a matter of fact, you have,” she said, kissing him. “You’re so good to me, and you make me so very happy.”He squeezed her tighter. “Not as happy as you make me.”“My life is finally complete.”“I’m glad to hear that. And although it took a while for me to propose to you again, I hope you know that I never stopped loving you. Not once.”“I know you didn’t, and I never stopped loving you, either. And I’m also sorry for…well, everything. I destroyed our marriage, and I will always be indebted to you for forgiving me the way you did.”“God forgives us all, and we have to do the same thing with others. Sometimes though, just because you’ve forgiven someone it doesn’t mean you can still be as close with them. You can still love them and be there for them if they need you, but forgiving someone and trusting them again are two different things. So I thank God that in our case, I was able to do both.”“You’re a good person with a huge heart, and I love you with everything in me,” she said.“I love you, too,” he said, kissing her.Alicia’s yearning for Phillip was strong and intense—it was the kind of yearning she couldn’t act on or ask him to satisfy. He talked a lot about how he couldn’t wait to make love to her again, except Alicia wasn’t handling this celibacy thing nearly as well as he was. She knew Phillip was a minister and that he was serious about his faith, but Alicia had certain needs and desires. For her, kissing and cuddling only meant tons of torture, and she longed for their wedding day. It couldn’t come fast enough, and she’d gone without for so many years that it was almost funny. Especially since the sole reason she’d done so was because Phillip had made it clear that he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d insisted that the only way things could work between them was if her love and respect for God were sincere. This, of course, meant living by the Word and not having sex until they were remarried. Still, she’d be lying if she said she was okay with it, because she wasn’t. She was twenty-eight, and she couldn’t help the way she felt. Phillip was only ten years older, so she couldn’t see how he was able to deal with this either. But he was, and he seemed to do it with ease.After Phillip left, Alicia finished getting dressed and grabbed her large black leather tote from her bed. She disconnected her phone from its charger and saw that she had new emails. When she opened her mailbox, she scrolled through three department store sale reminders and a couple of other unimportant messages. But she swallowed hard when she saw the next one. The subject line said, “Hey Beautiful,” and the sender’s name was listed as Levi Cunningham.She covered her mouth with her hand, whispering out loud, “No, this just can’t be.”She took a deep breath and sat down on the leather chaise in shock. Her heart beat faster with every few seconds, and although she was curious about the contents of the email, she was afraid to open it. What could Levi possibly want? She hadn’t heard from him in five years, not since he’d called her from prison. She’d wondered then how he was able to contact her and talk for as long as he wanted, until she’d learned that he’d gotten in pretty good with one of the correctional officers. He’d called her twice. Once to let her know how much he still loved her, and the second time to tell her that her husband at the time, JT, was sleeping around on her and committing other unimaginable sins.Although, now that Alicia thought about it, she had spoken to Levi a third time, and that was when she’d told him she was going to do everything she could to get back with Phillip. Levi had been disappointed, but it wasn’t like he could offer her something better, not with him still serving time for drug-related felony charges. Back then, he’d been sure he’d be out within a few months, since his attorney had discovered new evidence to help exonerate him. Levi had also cooperated with the authorities, which likely meant he’d told on the right people. Still, as far as she knew, nothing had ever panned out in terms of his getting a new trial.Alicia stared at her phone, debating whether she should open the email. Her common sense begged her to delete it, but her heart pleaded for something different. And she knew why: after all these years, she’d never fully gotten over him. She’d buried her feelings and gone on with her life, but she’d never forgotten their genuine chemistry. Their hearts had bonded naturally, and their deep emotional connection had been indescribable. It was the kind that only true soul mates could share—the kind she had never experienced with another man, not even Phillip. Although, what harm could Levi do from a prison cell?Alicia debated no further. She opened the message and read it.Hey Beautiful,I’m sure I’m the last person you ever expected to hear from, right? I’m a little surprised myself, but I’m happy to say I finally got my new trial, and I was released yesterday. I’m a free man, and although it hasn’t even been a full 24 hours yet, I’ve never felt better. I wanted to contact you as soon as my mom and my boy Darrell picked me up, but I decided I would spend some quality time with my mom last night first. She has been my rock through all of this, so I owed her that. But this morning, I woke up thinking about you and how much I missed you. So can you please email me back? I really want to see you. Oh, and I’m not sure whether you noticed or not, but after being locked down for all this time, I went back to school and learned a lot about commas and when to include them. J Even better, I now have a bachelor’s degree in business. Amazing what you can do online these days, and I can’t thank God enough for it. I’m a totally different man. Anyway, I hope you respond. I can’t wait to hear your voice.Talk to you soon.LeviP.S. I never stopped loving you, sweetheart. Not for a second.Alicia didn’t move. She couldn’t have if she’d wanted to. Was it really true? Was Levi out of prison and living back in Mitchell? The same city she was returning to as well—the city where she and Phillip were making their permanent home? This was all too much for Alicia to digest, but as she sat thinking, she realized something. Levi’s email wasn’t going to change anything. She loved Phillip, she was marrying him in two months, and that was that. This was her reality. This was all of their reality. End of story.Chapter 2
“Brad, what is this?” Melanie exclaimed, holding her husband’s latest credit union statement.Brad frowned. “What is what?”Melanie passed him the document. “Here, see for yourself.”“Where did you get this? Were you rummaging through my desk?”“No, I was looking for a black marker, and I just so happened to see it.”“Do I search through your things?”“I wouldn’t care if you did. I don’t have anything to hide.”“Neither do I, but I also don’t like stuff moved around in my office.”“Normally, you lay your mail on top of your desk. But not this, though.”Brad ignored her. “What would make you rummage through my stuff like this?”“You know what, that’s neither here nor there. I just wanna know what you needed ten thousand dollars for.”Brad sighed. “I can’t believe you went through my desk and opened my mail.”“We’ve been married for, what? Three years? So as your wife, I have a right to see everything. And until now, you’ve never had a problem with that.”“Whatever, Mel.”“Why aren’t you answering my question? Are you doing something I need to know about?”“No, I made a bad investment, and I lost some money.”“How?” she said, folding her arms. “Playing around with the stock market again?”“I wasn’t playing around with it. I read about a couple of hot items, and they didn’t pan out.”“But ten thousand dollars? You lost ten thousand dollars, and you’re acting like it’s no big deal?”“I never said it wasn’t a big deal.”“But you’re sounding like you lost ten pennies. Not to mention, it’s bad enough that you lost more than thirty thousand a year ago for the same reason.”Brad rolled his eyes. “Oh, here we go. Bringin’ up the past again.”“I’m simply making a point. It’s not like we’re getting any younger.”“Are you serious? Mel, you’re only twenty-eight years old.”“But you know how careful I’ve always been when it comes to money. I was cautious and saving as much as I could before you ever asked me to marry you. And since you’ll be forty in a couple of years, I would think you’d start being a lot more cautious, too. Especially when it comes to your savings account.”“Look, baby,” he said, calming his voice. “I’m sorry. I hear you, and I promise it won’t happen again.”“You said the same thing last year.”“I know, but I mean it this time,” he said, leaning against his desk. “I traded some pretty high-risk stocks online, and it was only because I thought I could make a lot of money from it. But I’ve learned my lesson.”“So this wasn’t even done through a broker? You did this on your own?”“Yeah, but I’m done. I know you don’t believe me, but losing all this in a matter of days really opened my eyes.”Melanie spoke in a softer tone. “You can’t keep doing this.”Brad’s cell phone rang, and he pulled it from his blazer. “Baby, it’s the office. Just give me a second, okay?”Melanie sat down in the supple brown leather wing-back chair and waited for him to finish his call. She was trying not to be angry, but she couldn’t understand why Brad did this kind of thing. She was just the opposite, so it didn’t made sense to her. She could never blow that kind of money unnecessarily, not from her individual savings, checking, retirement, or any other account. They had two joint money market accounts as well, and for the most part, she pretended those didn’t exist. She just couldn’t see spending money so frivolously like there would be no tomorrow. There were times when she knew she might have gone to a bit of an extreme with her vigilant money-management philosophy, but who knew what the future held? Anything at all could happen. Loss of employment, illness, or even death.Then, to think how hard they’d worked to get where they were professionally. Brad was the newest senior partner at the firm he’d been practicing at since graduating law school—a firm that was known statewide—and Melanie was a nurse practitioner at the most highly recommended internal medicine office in Mitchell. Also, last year they’d built a six-thousand-square-foot home and furnished every room with all new furniture and accessories. Melanie had thought they were spending way too much money, but once Brad had convinced her that they could afford it and that he wasn’t working all his life for nothing, she’d gone along with it. Of course, that had been well before she’d known he was going to throw away thirty thousand dollars only three months after breaking ground. She certainly hadn’t known he was going to lose ten thousand more last month. It was common for the stocks and bonds that made up their retirement portfolios to fluctuate, but the idea of buying risky items for no reason was uncalled for.Brad ended his call and reached out his hand to Melanie. “Baby, come here.”“Why?”“Just come here. Please.”She got up and walked over to him.Brad sat back onto the top of his desk, drew her closer, and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m really sorry. I got a little carried away, and I messed up. Can you forgive me?”Melanie looked at him but didn’t say anything.He caressed the side of her face. “You know you can’t stay mad at me forever, right?”“I just wish you wouldn’t do things like this. I mean, if you’re just dying to give away money, I’d rather see you give it to families or organizations in need. Because to me, when you throw away money that God has blessed you with, you’re being ungrateful.”“I agree. But do you forgive me?”“Do I have a choice?”“Not really,” he said, wrapping Melanie’s arms around his neck and kissing her.Melanie hated arguing with him, and it felt good holding him and trying to get past what had happened.“I was planning to wait to bring this up, but now is just as good a time as any,” he said.Melanie wondered why he looked so serious. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing. But I do want us to think more about starting a family. I want you to stop taking your birth control pills.”“I don’t know,” she said, and although she wanted a child, too, she wasn’t sure this was the right time anymore. Not with Brad’s latest financial move. She wanted to believe him when he said this would never happen again, but she needed to see it. Another thing that had started to concern her quite a bit was the fact that he worked a lot of hours. She clearly understood what his job entailed, but for the last few months they’d sometimes barely seen each other except on Sundays. They’d had words about that very thing a couple of weeks ago, and she didn’t want to be the kind of mother who raised her child alone.But then there was her other reason, the one she didn’t have the courage to tell Brad about. She was terrified of gaining a huge amount of weight from being pregnant. As it was, she was already struggling to lose the same ten pounds she’d been trying to get rid of for more than a year. She was sure ten pounds didn’t seem like a lot to most people, but the last thing she wanted was for her mother to start harassing her again—spewing some of the same hurtful comments she’d dished out for years. Melanie had been a chubby child, and her mother had been repulsed by it.“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked.“No reason. I just wanna make sure we’re ready.”“Baby, how much more ready do we need to be? We have more than enough room, and we can definitely afford it. Plus, you know it’s still my dream to be able to give our children what my parents weren’t able to give me. When they were alive, they took care of me the best they could, but they barely made ends meet, and I went without a lot. Even in college.”“I know. Why don’t we talk about it more tonight?”“Fine. And hey—are you losing weight?”“I wish.”“Why? Because it’s not like you need to. You look perfect.”“I’m glad you feel that way,” she said, wondering how he could possibly think she’d lost even a few ounces, let alone enough weight that was noticeable enough to see. Especially since she weighed herself every single day, and not much had changed. Although maybe working out six days a week without fail was helping her lose inches.Brad kissed her again, this time with more passion. “Make love to me.”Melanie gently pressed both her hands against his chest. “Baby, I can’t. I have to get dressed so I can drive over to Schaumburg. I’m meeting Alicia, remember?”“Oh yeah. Well, I guess I’ll let you off the hook this one time. I expect you to make this up to me tonight, though,” he said, smiling.Melanie was relieved, because her plans to drive over and meet Alicia weren’t the only reason she was putting him off. Truth was, she had long stopped wanting to make love to him in broad daylight because of how pathetic she looked when she was naked. At five foot nine and 165 pounds, she wore a size ten and looked like Miss Piggy, which was one of the many names her father had called her when she was a child. She wasn’t nearly as heavy now as she’d been back then, but she was still a size ten for heaven’s sake. Just the thought of it made her want to burst into tears. Brad deserved so much better. A wife he could be proud to have on his arm—just like her mother regularly told her. And if it was the last thing she did, she would make that happen. She would do whatever was necessary to drop those ten horrible pounds she was parading around with. That way, she could fit back into her size eights the way she was supposed to. She wouldn’t be happy—and neither would her mother—until she did.
About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
Chapter 1
Alicia’s prayers had been answered. She and Phillip were finally going to be married—again. It had been six years since their first wedding, but in two months, she would walk down the aisle of her father’s church and live happily ever after. She was fully committed to Phillip this time around, and unlike before, she wouldn’t betray him. She wouldn’t sleep with another man behind his back. Just thinking about how selfish she’d been and how terribly she’d treated Phillip still upset her, but thankfully, he finally trusted her again. There had been moments when Alicia hadn’t been sure he ever would. Still, she’d gone out of her way doing all she could to show him just how much she loved and adored him and wanted to be his wife. From this point on, they would be together until death do us part, no matter what.Phillip stood at the bedroom window of Alicia’s condo, looking as handsome as ever, and Alicia smiled at him. He winked at her but continued his phone conversation. He’d driven over last night and was now on the phone with her dad, discussing church business. Phillip had returned to his assistant pastor position at Deliverance Outreach in Mitchell, Illinois, which was the reason he and Alicia had purchased a home there. With all his church responsibilities, it was better for him to reside in the same city as his job so he would have quick access to the church and to any members who needed him. Phillip had moved in a month ago, but it wouldn’t be long before Alicia joined him, as she now had a buyer for her Chicago-area condo and would be closing on the sale in six weeks. She’d even begun moving some of her belongings out to the house in Mitchell. She would certainly miss Covington Park, along with much of the culture and excitement that the Chicago area provided, but she also couldn’t wait for her and Phillip to live as husband and wife again.Things were going to be good between them. They would have a great life, and she thanked God for second chances. As a matter of fact, God had blessed her in such a tremendous way that she sometimes shed tears uncontrollably. Here she’d committed adultery against Phillip—hurting him to the core—yet he’d found it in his heart to forgive her. And he’d never once stopped loving her.Then, there was that awful second marriage she’d entered into with the likes of Pastor JT Valentine. The man had slept around with more women than Alicia could count, and the whole experience had been a nightmare. Still, God had delivered her from JT and his madness and allowed her to move on and forget about him.And if those blessings hadn’t been enough, she was a successful novelist who would be releasing her fourth book in a few months. She had such a wonderfully kind and loyal audience of readers; some of whom read her work because of her father’s worldwide status, but the majority seemed to genuinely love her stories and she was grateful for that.Phillip ended his call. “I’m gonna get ready so I can head back home. Your dad and I and some of the other officers are meeting for lunch today.”“I need to get ready myself. I’m meeting Melanie at noon so we can pick out our jewelry for the wedding.” Melanie Richardson was Alicia’s best friend, and she and her husband, Brad, who was Phillip’s best friend, were going to be their attendants. Alicia and Phillip had considered having bridesmaids and groomsmen, too, but then decided they wanted to keep their ceremony as intimate and as meaningful as possible. That way their day would be about them and the love they shared, versus some massive, impersonal affair.“Oh yeah, that’s right,” he said, strolling over to Alicia and hugging her. “But more important, have I told you how beautiful you are today?”“As a matter of fact, you have,” she said, kissing him. “You’re so good to me, and you make me so very happy.”He squeezed her tighter. “Not as happy as you make me.”“My life is finally complete.”“I’m glad to hear that. And although it took a while for me to propose to you again, I hope you know that I never stopped loving you. Not once.”“I know you didn’t, and I never stopped loving you, either. And I’m also sorry for…well, everything. I destroyed our marriage, and I will always be indebted to you for forgiving me the way you did.”“God forgives us all, and we have to do the same thing with others. Sometimes though, just because you’ve forgiven someone it doesn’t mean you can still be as close with them. You can still love them and be there for them if they need you, but forgiving someone and trusting them again are two different things. So I thank God that in our case, I was able to do both.”“You’re a good person with a huge heart, and I love you with everything in me,” she said.“I love you, too,” he said, kissing her.Alicia’s yearning for Phillip was strong and intense—it was the kind of yearning she couldn’t act on or ask him to satisfy. He talked a lot about how he couldn’t wait to make love to her again, except Alicia wasn’t handling this celibacy thing nearly as well as he was. She knew Phillip was a minister and that he was serious about his faith, but Alicia had certain needs and desires. For her, kissing and cuddling only meant tons of torture, and she longed for their wedding day. It couldn’t come fast enough, and she’d gone without for so many years that it was almost funny. Especially since the sole reason she’d done so was because Phillip had made it clear that he wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d insisted that the only way things could work between them was if her love and respect for God were sincere. This, of course, meant living by the Word and not having sex until they were remarried. Still, she’d be lying if she said she was okay with it, because she wasn’t. She was twenty-eight, and she couldn’t help the way she felt. Phillip was only ten years older, so she couldn’t see how he was able to deal with this either. But he was, and he seemed to do it with ease.After Phillip left, Alicia finished getting dressed and grabbed her large black leather tote from her bed. She disconnected her phone from its charger and saw that she had new emails. When she opened her mailbox, she scrolled through three department store sale reminders and a couple of other unimportant messages. But she swallowed hard when she saw the next one. The subject line said, “Hey Beautiful,” and the sender’s name was listed as Levi Cunningham.She covered her mouth with her hand, whispering out loud, “No, this just can’t be.”She took a deep breath and sat down on the leather chaise in shock. Her heart beat faster with every few seconds, and although she was curious about the contents of the email, she was afraid to open it. What could Levi possibly want? She hadn’t heard from him in five years, not since he’d called her from prison. She’d wondered then how he was able to contact her and talk for as long as he wanted, until she’d learned that he’d gotten in pretty good with one of the correctional officers. He’d called her twice. Once to let her know how much he still loved her, and the second time to tell her that her husband at the time, JT, was sleeping around on her and committing other unimaginable sins.Although, now that Alicia thought about it, she had spoken to Levi a third time, and that was when she’d told him she was going to do everything she could to get back with Phillip. Levi had been disappointed, but it wasn’t like he could offer her something better, not with him still serving time for drug-related felony charges. Back then, he’d been sure he’d be out within a few months, since his attorney had discovered new evidence to help exonerate him. Levi had also cooperated with the authorities, which likely meant he’d told on the right people. Still, as far as she knew, nothing had ever panned out in terms of his getting a new trial.Alicia stared at her phone, debating whether she should open the email. Her common sense begged her to delete it, but her heart pleaded for something different. And she knew why: after all these years, she’d never fully gotten over him. She’d buried her feelings and gone on with her life, but she’d never forgotten their genuine chemistry. Their hearts had bonded naturally, and their deep emotional connection had been indescribable. It was the kind that only true soul mates could share—the kind she had never experienced with another man, not even Phillip. Although, what harm could Levi do from a prison cell?Alicia debated no further. She opened the message and read it.Hey Beautiful,I’m sure I’m the last person you ever expected to hear from, right? I’m a little surprised myself, but I’m happy to say I finally got my new trial, and I was released yesterday. I’m a free man, and although it hasn’t even been a full 24 hours yet, I’ve never felt better. I wanted to contact you as soon as my mom and my boy Darrell picked me up, but I decided I would spend some quality time with my mom last night first. She has been my rock through all of this, so I owed her that. But this morning, I woke up thinking about you and how much I missed you. So can you please email me back? I really want to see you. Oh, and I’m not sure whether you noticed or not, but after being locked down for all this time, I went back to school and learned a lot about commas and when to include them. J Even better, I now have a bachelor’s degree in business. Amazing what you can do online these days, and I can’t thank God enough for it. I’m a totally different man. Anyway, I hope you respond. I can’t wait to hear your voice.Talk to you soon.LeviP.S. I never stopped loving you, sweetheart. Not for a second.Alicia didn’t move. She couldn’t have if she’d wanted to. Was it really true? Was Levi out of prison and living back in Mitchell? The same city she was returning to as well—the city where she and Phillip were making their permanent home? This was all too much for Alicia to digest, but as she sat thinking, she realized something. Levi’s email wasn’t going to change anything. She loved Phillip, she was marrying him in two months, and that was that. This was her reality. This was all of their reality. End of story.Chapter 2
“Brad, what is this?” Melanie exclaimed, holding her husband’s latest credit union statement.Brad frowned. “What is what?”Melanie passed him the document. “Here, see for yourself.”“Where did you get this? Were you rummaging through my desk?”“No, I was looking for a black marker, and I just so happened to see it.”“Do I search through your things?”“I wouldn’t care if you did. I don’t have anything to hide.”“Neither do I, but I also don’t like stuff moved around in my office.”“Normally, you lay your mail on top of your desk. But not this, though.”Brad ignored her. “What would make you rummage through my stuff like this?”“You know what, that’s neither here nor there. I just wanna know what you needed ten thousand dollars for.”Brad sighed. “I can’t believe you went through my desk and opened my mail.”“We’ve been married for, what? Three years? So as your wife, I have a right to see everything. And until now, you’ve never had a problem with that.”“Whatever, Mel.”“Why aren’t you answering my question? Are you doing something I need to know about?”“No, I made a bad investment, and I lost some money.”“How?” she said, folding her arms. “Playing around with the stock market again?”“I wasn’t playing around with it. I read about a couple of hot items, and they didn’t pan out.”“But ten thousand dollars? You lost ten thousand dollars, and you’re acting like it’s no big deal?”“I never said it wasn’t a big deal.”“But you’re sounding like you lost ten pennies. Not to mention, it’s bad enough that you lost more than thirty thousand a year ago for the same reason.”Brad rolled his eyes. “Oh, here we go. Bringin’ up the past again.”“I’m simply making a point. It’s not like we’re getting any younger.”“Are you serious? Mel, you’re only twenty-eight years old.”“But you know how careful I’ve always been when it comes to money. I was cautious and saving as much as I could before you ever asked me to marry you. And since you’ll be forty in a couple of years, I would think you’d start being a lot more cautious, too. Especially when it comes to your savings account.”“Look, baby,” he said, calming his voice. “I’m sorry. I hear you, and I promise it won’t happen again.”“You said the same thing last year.”“I know, but I mean it this time,” he said, leaning against his desk. “I traded some pretty high-risk stocks online, and it was only because I thought I could make a lot of money from it. But I’ve learned my lesson.”“So this wasn’t even done through a broker? You did this on your own?”“Yeah, but I’m done. I know you don’t believe me, but losing all this in a matter of days really opened my eyes.”Melanie spoke in a softer tone. “You can’t keep doing this.”Brad’s cell phone rang, and he pulled it from his blazer. “Baby, it’s the office. Just give me a second, okay?”Melanie sat down in the supple brown leather wing-back chair and waited for him to finish his call. She was trying not to be angry, but she couldn’t understand why Brad did this kind of thing. She was just the opposite, so it didn’t made sense to her. She could never blow that kind of money unnecessarily, not from her individual savings, checking, retirement, or any other account. They had two joint money market accounts as well, and for the most part, she pretended those didn’t exist. She just couldn’t see spending money so frivolously like there would be no tomorrow. There were times when she knew she might have gone to a bit of an extreme with her vigilant money-management philosophy, but who knew what the future held? Anything at all could happen. Loss of employment, illness, or even death.Then, to think how hard they’d worked to get where they were professionally. Brad was the newest senior partner at the firm he’d been practicing at since graduating law school—a firm that was known statewide—and Melanie was a nurse practitioner at the most highly recommended internal medicine office in Mitchell. Also, last year they’d built a six-thousand-square-foot home and furnished every room with all new furniture and accessories. Melanie had thought they were spending way too much money, but once Brad had convinced her that they could afford it and that he wasn’t working all his life for nothing, she’d gone along with it. Of course, that had been well before she’d known he was going to throw away thirty thousand dollars only three months after breaking ground. She certainly hadn’t known he was going to lose ten thousand more last month. It was common for the stocks and bonds that made up their retirement portfolios to fluctuate, but the idea of buying risky items for no reason was uncalled for.Brad ended his call and reached out his hand to Melanie. “Baby, come here.”“Why?”“Just come here. Please.”She got up and walked over to him.Brad sat back onto the top of his desk, drew her closer, and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m really sorry. I got a little carried away, and I messed up. Can you forgive me?”Melanie looked at him but didn’t say anything.He caressed the side of her face. “You know you can’t stay mad at me forever, right?”“I just wish you wouldn’t do things like this. I mean, if you’re just dying to give away money, I’d rather see you give it to families or organizations in need. Because to me, when you throw away money that God has blessed you with, you’re being ungrateful.”“I agree. But do you forgive me?”“Do I have a choice?”“Not really,” he said, wrapping Melanie’s arms around his neck and kissing her.Melanie hated arguing with him, and it felt good holding him and trying to get past what had happened.“I was planning to wait to bring this up, but now is just as good a time as any,” he said.Melanie wondered why he looked so serious. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing. But I do want us to think more about starting a family. I want you to stop taking your birth control pills.”“I don’t know,” she said, and although she wanted a child, too, she wasn’t sure this was the right time anymore. Not with Brad’s latest financial move. She wanted to believe him when he said this would never happen again, but she needed to see it. Another thing that had started to concern her quite a bit was the fact that he worked a lot of hours. She clearly understood what his job entailed, but for the last few months they’d sometimes barely seen each other except on Sundays. They’d had words about that very thing a couple of weeks ago, and she didn’t want to be the kind of mother who raised her child alone.But then there was her other reason, the one she didn’t have the courage to tell Brad about. She was terrified of gaining a huge amount of weight from being pregnant. As it was, she was already struggling to lose the same ten pounds she’d been trying to get rid of for more than a year. She was sure ten pounds didn’t seem like a lot to most people, but the last thing she wanted was for her mother to start harassing her again—spewing some of the same hurtful comments she’d dished out for years. Melanie had been a chubby child, and her mother had been repulsed by it.“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked.“No reason. I just wanna make sure we’re ready.”“Baby, how much more ready do we need to be? We have more than enough room, and we can definitely afford it. Plus, you know it’s still my dream to be able to give our children what my parents weren’t able to give me. When they were alive, they took care of me the best they could, but they barely made ends meet, and I went without a lot. Even in college.”“I know. Why don’t we talk about it more tonight?”“Fine. And hey—are you losing weight?”“I wish.”“Why? Because it’s not like you need to. You look perfect.”“I’m glad you feel that way,” she said, wondering how he could possibly think she’d lost even a few ounces, let alone enough weight that was noticeable enough to see. Especially since she weighed herself every single day, and not much had changed. Although maybe working out six days a week without fail was helping her lose inches.Brad kissed her again, this time with more passion. “Make love to me.”Melanie gently pressed both her hands against his chest. “Baby, I can’t. I have to get dressed so I can drive over to Schaumburg. I’m meeting Alicia, remember?”“Oh yeah. Well, I guess I’ll let you off the hook this one time. I expect you to make this up to me tonight, though,” he said, smiling.Melanie was relieved, because her plans to drive over and meet Alicia weren’t the only reason she was putting him off. Truth was, she had long stopped wanting to make love to him in broad daylight because of how pathetic she looked when she was naked. At five foot nine and 165 pounds, she wore a size ten and looked like Miss Piggy, which was one of the many names her father had called her when she was a child. She wasn’t nearly as heavy now as she’d been back then, but she was still a size ten for heaven’s sake. Just the thought of it made her want to burst into tears. Brad deserved so much better. A wife he could be proud to have on his arm—just like her mother regularly told her. And if it was the last thing she did, she would make that happen. She would do whatever was necessary to drop those ten horrible pounds she was parading around with. That way, she could fit back into her size eights the way she was supposed to. She wouldn’t be happy—and neither would her mother—until she did.
About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
May 6, 2015
Author Chat: Beyond the Lights with M.C. Walker
Bestselling Author, Publisher, Poet, and Advocate for Female Empowerment offers an enlightening exploration of the depths and damage domestic violence affects a young woman in debut novel Before The Lights Go Out.
My Interview with M.C. Walker
Who are you? I'm a mom of two boys from Atlanta. Atlanta is home and I don't think that will ever change. I'm currently in college pursuing my Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Management at Herzing University. When I'm not writing, reading, or studying I enjoy mindless TV, being with friends, and sleeping.
What made you choose a career in writing? I've always been a very quiet person even in childhood. Nowadays that's called people watching...lol! I wasn't the most popular girl or the teacher's pet. I was the pretty quiet girl with her head buried in a romance novel waiting for prince charming. Still waiting!! I just naturally gravitated towards the library and my love of books turned into a passion for wanting to write.
What's your novel about? My novel Before The Lights Go Out deals with domestic violence, faith, marriage, womanhood, and love. The idea behind the novel is to explore the harsh realities of when life and love don't go as planned. Do we leave or start over? How do we piece together the broken pieces of our life? I want to take readers and more specifically women on a spiritual and emotional journey of finding their voice and learning to love them before loving someone else. I think we are often times pressured into what we assume a marriage should be and look like. But, we're not really prepared for the unexpected. In the end I not only want the character to fall in love but restore her faith and identify the true meaning of living a fulfilled life on every level.
You've written poems, short stories, and your novel. Which best defines your artistic spirit? I like to think of myself as multi layered like a banana. I wouldn't consider myself a poet like Nikki Giovanni or the other greats because I'm not trained. When I write poems I'm usually writing from my heart. I really don't have control over what comes unto the page because I'm free falling and expressing my truth. However, when I'm writing I kind of mute my heart a little bit to really get into who the character is and what she's trying to tell me. So, I guess I'm a little bit of both at the end of the day. I'm learning and growing and I love the journey.
Worst and best advice you've received so far as a writer?Best advice:Focus and pursue your passion with all your heart. Never give up and you'll win. Worst advice: Go to school to write. It wasn't bad advice necessarily. But, after talking about going to school to become a writer with a few people that were already in the program. They all regretted it. Don't get me wrong you get to learn the mechanics of writing. But, I've been told the program silences your inner voice. I've always been an individual thinker. So, I decided I wanted to become a writer. I worked at it , followed this link, read this book, and practiced. As a result, I'm learning to trust my writer voice.
Available April 2015
Go behinds the scenes and meet the leading lady of Before The Lights Go Out , Naomi George in the short story Being Naomi. Discover Naomi's childhood, finding love, and losing her in the ideal perfect marriage. Come inside and discover what's it like.... Being Naomi.
Available May 31, 2015
Before The Lights Go Out is the story of Naomi George, a thirty year old devoted wife and loving mother who appears to have it all. Wealth, a gorgeous home in the plush suburbs of Atlanta, and an elite group of friends. In Atlanta, appearances rule, perception is everything, and the lines between good and evil are often blurred. What happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors, forever. For the past five years Naomi has endured her husband Bishop's abuse and rage. Forced to hide the bruises and the ugly truth Naomi will have to make the ultimate sacrifice to not only save her own life...but the lives of her two children.
On the run with no money and no plan, Naomi escapes vowing to never return. With Bishop in hot pursuit, there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her. Kill her. And take her children. With the abusive Bishop hot on her trail, will Naomi escape? Or will she continue to run and fight for her future? A heart-pounding and suspenseful page turner that will leave you breathless on each page.
Before The Lights Go Out is chilling tale of one woman’s testimony and difficult journey of discovering her voice, restoring her faith in God, and finding freedom while in the pursuit of healing from her past.
About the Author
Domestic violence does not discriminate. Abuse occurs in same sex couples and heterosexual relationships. More often than not people ignore the signs of abuse by a partner for many reasons. Domestic violence is a cycle and the longer it is silenced the cycle will continue. Before The Lights Go Out is a fictionalized depiction of the author experience with domestic violence. It is through her spiritual relationship with Christ that the author has felt compelled to inspire, motivate, and transform the lives of those around her through her work. It is the hope of the author that the novel keeps the conversation going and inspires someone in need to seek the help they need.M.C. Walker is an Advocate for Female Empowerment and bringing awareness to Domestic Violence. M.C. Walker is a proud supporter of Partnership of Domestic Violence Awareness. Proceeds from Before The Lights Go Out will be donated to charity. M.C. Walker resides in her hometown of Atlanta, GA with her two boys.
Lets Connect: Facebook: www.Facebook.com/writermcwalker Twitter: www.Twitter.com/writermcwalker Ig: www.instagram.com/walkerpublications Blog: www.writermcwalker.blogspot.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/WriterMCWalker Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/writermcwalker Email: writermcwalker@gmail.com Blog: http://writermcwalker.blogspot.com/
My Interview with M.C. Walker
Who are you? I'm a mom of two boys from Atlanta. Atlanta is home and I don't think that will ever change. I'm currently in college pursuing my Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Management at Herzing University. When I'm not writing, reading, or studying I enjoy mindless TV, being with friends, and sleeping.
What made you choose a career in writing? I've always been a very quiet person even in childhood. Nowadays that's called people watching...lol! I wasn't the most popular girl or the teacher's pet. I was the pretty quiet girl with her head buried in a romance novel waiting for prince charming. Still waiting!! I just naturally gravitated towards the library and my love of books turned into a passion for wanting to write.
What's your novel about? My novel Before The Lights Go Out deals with domestic violence, faith, marriage, womanhood, and love. The idea behind the novel is to explore the harsh realities of when life and love don't go as planned. Do we leave or start over? How do we piece together the broken pieces of our life? I want to take readers and more specifically women on a spiritual and emotional journey of finding their voice and learning to love them before loving someone else. I think we are often times pressured into what we assume a marriage should be and look like. But, we're not really prepared for the unexpected. In the end I not only want the character to fall in love but restore her faith and identify the true meaning of living a fulfilled life on every level.
You've written poems, short stories, and your novel. Which best defines your artistic spirit? I like to think of myself as multi layered like a banana. I wouldn't consider myself a poet like Nikki Giovanni or the other greats because I'm not trained. When I write poems I'm usually writing from my heart. I really don't have control over what comes unto the page because I'm free falling and expressing my truth. However, when I'm writing I kind of mute my heart a little bit to really get into who the character is and what she's trying to tell me. So, I guess I'm a little bit of both at the end of the day. I'm learning and growing and I love the journey.
Worst and best advice you've received so far as a writer?Best advice:Focus and pursue your passion with all your heart. Never give up and you'll win. Worst advice: Go to school to write. It wasn't bad advice necessarily. But, after talking about going to school to become a writer with a few people that were already in the program. They all regretted it. Don't get me wrong you get to learn the mechanics of writing. But, I've been told the program silences your inner voice. I've always been an individual thinker. So, I decided I wanted to become a writer. I worked at it , followed this link, read this book, and practiced. As a result, I'm learning to trust my writer voice.
Available April 2015
Go behinds the scenes and meet the leading lady of Before The Lights Go Out , Naomi George in the short story Being Naomi. Discover Naomi's childhood, finding love, and losing her in the ideal perfect marriage. Come inside and discover what's it like.... Being Naomi.
Available May 31, 2015
Before The Lights Go Out is the story of Naomi George, a thirty year old devoted wife and loving mother who appears to have it all. Wealth, a gorgeous home in the plush suburbs of Atlanta, and an elite group of friends. In Atlanta, appearances rule, perception is everything, and the lines between good and evil are often blurred. What happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors, forever. For the past five years Naomi has endured her husband Bishop's abuse and rage. Forced to hide the bruises and the ugly truth Naomi will have to make the ultimate sacrifice to not only save her own life...but the lives of her two children.
On the run with no money and no plan, Naomi escapes vowing to never return. With Bishop in hot pursuit, there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her. Kill her. And take her children. With the abusive Bishop hot on her trail, will Naomi escape? Or will she continue to run and fight for her future? A heart-pounding and suspenseful page turner that will leave you breathless on each page.
Before The Lights Go Out is chilling tale of one woman’s testimony and difficult journey of discovering her voice, restoring her faith in God, and finding freedom while in the pursuit of healing from her past.
About the Author
Domestic violence does not discriminate. Abuse occurs in same sex couples and heterosexual relationships. More often than not people ignore the signs of abuse by a partner for many reasons. Domestic violence is a cycle and the longer it is silenced the cycle will continue. Before The Lights Go Out is a fictionalized depiction of the author experience with domestic violence. It is through her spiritual relationship with Christ that the author has felt compelled to inspire, motivate, and transform the lives of those around her through her work. It is the hope of the author that the novel keeps the conversation going and inspires someone in need to seek the help they need.M.C. Walker is an Advocate for Female Empowerment and bringing awareness to Domestic Violence. M.C. Walker is a proud supporter of Partnership of Domestic Violence Awareness. Proceeds from Before The Lights Go Out will be donated to charity. M.C. Walker resides in her hometown of Atlanta, GA with her two boys.
Lets Connect: Facebook: www.Facebook.com/writermcwalker Twitter: www.Twitter.com/writermcwalker Ig: www.instagram.com/walkerpublications Blog: www.writermcwalker.blogspot.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/WriterMCWalker Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/writermcwalker Email: writermcwalker@gmail.com Blog: http://writermcwalker.blogspot.com/
May 4, 2015
Hot off the Presses!! Seasoned WIth Grace by Nigeria Lockley
Are you ready for a dose of Grace? She’s a beauty and the beast, which one will prevail in her life?
About the book:Sentenced to probation, thirty-year-old, supermodel Grace King must put her plans of transitioning into acting to extend the longevity of her career on hold. Desperate to keep a close eye on Grace and his job Grace’s ambitious lawyer, Ethan Summerville has her complete community service in the last place Grace wants to be. His church.Instead of God, Grace finds a “chocolate drop” of a man—Brother Horace Green. However, Horace isn’t looking for a supermodel. He wants his woman saved and sanctified, but Grace has never met a man who has been able to resist her. Will Horace compromise his faith for a taste of fortune, fame, and Grace?While Grace focuses on the pursuit of passion Ethan finds one director willing to take a risk and cast Grace in his debut film, but this role fits Grace all too well. Will this film revive Grace’s relationship with God and her career or bring her closer to destruction?
Excerpt (Exclusive):“You know you miss him,” Grace said, chomping down on a scallop.Candace shrugged her shoulders and turned down the corners of her mouth. “I’m satisfied.”“With what?” Grace asked, leaning across the table. “With my savior,” Candace sang lightly, as if she was leading the Sunday morning devotion at her church. “Look here . . .” Grace raised her fork and pointed it at Candace. “You might be fooling some people with your ‘Long as I got Jesus’ routine, but I know when the nights are cold and that rain is beating against your windowpane, you want a man that’s there in the flesh, not in the spirit.” Grace already knew the church rhetoric that went along with the single life. Her mother had fed it to her when she was a teen and to many of the women at the church who came to see her mother after service to discuss itches that they just couldn’t resist scratching. It was always about waiting, abstaining, and being content with the things that they had, and maybe one day the Lord would invite someone into a relationship. There was no help for the woman who wanted to invite a man into a relationship herself. She was the jezebel and the adulterous woman that Proverbs warned about. Nobody wanted to be her, and Candace was trying to dodge that bullet by running away from Ethan and rejecting his love. “I hear you, Grace, but I’m not about to chase a man that I caught all invested in you.” Candace took a sip of her water and raised her eyebrows, soliciting a response from Grace. “Candace, how many times do you want me to say I’m sorry? I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. That was an accident.”“Didn’t look accidental to me. It looked like the woman whom I had admired for a long time was kissing the man whose rib I thought God had plucked me from.”Grace inhaled deeply and clutched her chest at Candace’s revelation. She knew the two of them cared for each other, but she had had no idea that their relationship had gotten all biblical already. Scratching her temple, Grace recalled the time she’d thought she was a rib. The one time in her life when she’d thought that she had been made for a purpose, and when nothing but love had coursed through her veins and into her heart. Preorder Seasoned with GraceAmazon: http://bit.ly/SeasonedwithGraceBarnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/B_NSWGBooks-a-Million: http://bit.ly/booksSWG Time Out with Nigeria Lockley:Seasoned with Grace covers a lot of issues from alcohol addiction, past hurts, to love with a dash of fashion. Very often the lingering effect of our past hurts and loves lost interfere with us enjoying our present estate and reaching our future. Don’t allow your past hurts to cloud your mind, clog your heart, and block your vision. Live your life and experience the goodness that God has to offer each one of us with each new day. About Nigeria
Nigeria Lockley possesses two master’s degrees, one in English secondary education, which she utilizes as an educator with the New York City Department of Education, and a second in creative writing. Born at Dawn is Nigeria’s first published novel. Nigeria serves as the vice president of Bridges Family Services, a not-for-profit organization that assists student parents interested in pursuing a degree in higher education. She is also the deaconess and clerk for her spiritual home, King of Kings and Lord of Lords Church of God. Nigeria is a New York native who resides in Harlem with her husband and two daughters. Join her online at www.nigerialockley.com.Connect with Nigeria on the web:Website: www.nigerialockley.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/authorNigeriaLockleyTwitter: www.twitter.com/NewNigeria Instagram: www.instagram.com/NewNigeria Nigeria’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/MFKH9 May 2, 2015
Review: The Ultimate Betrayal by Kimberla Lawson Roby
My Review: 5-StarsUltimate Betrayal
The Ultimate Betrayal was the ultimate in writing craft. The dialogue between characters was one of the strongest element in the novel. Kimberla is a master at dialogue that you can follow even without tags or beats. For me, there were so many life lessons to be learned from Alicia's story. Her battle was between her mind and heart. What she felt was expected versus her own desires. However, the breakout character was Melanie. Melanie battles something as an adult that we would expect to see in someone much younger. I felt her struggle scene by scene. The transformation of this character is glaring. Melanie is a living example of how crucial a role parents play in an individual's development. This wouldn't be a Reverend Curtis Black novel without the reverend appearing. One of the powerful sentiments he says, "there are so many times when we've done things that could have been prevented ... if only we'd kept our faith in God." Can I get an Amen?
I read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the AuthorKimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Reverend Curtis Black Series. Those titles include: The Prodigal Son, A House Divided, The Reverend's Wife, Love, Honor, & Betray, Be Careful What You Pray For, The Best of Everything, Sin No More, Love & Lies, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of A Good Thing, and Casting the First Stone. Kimberla also has 10 standalone titles: A Christmas Prayer, The Perfect Marriage, Secret Obsession, A Deep Dark Secret, One in A Million, Changing Faces, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Here & Now, and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois. Web Site: kimroby.com, Facebook: facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby, Twitter: twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby
The Ultimate Betrayal was the ultimate in writing craft. The dialogue between characters was one of the strongest element in the novel. Kimberla is a master at dialogue that you can follow even without tags or beats. For me, there were so many life lessons to be learned from Alicia's story. Her battle was between her mind and heart. What she felt was expected versus her own desires. However, the breakout character was Melanie. Melanie battles something as an adult that we would expect to see in someone much younger. I felt her struggle scene by scene. The transformation of this character is glaring. Melanie is a living example of how crucial a role parents play in an individual's development. This wouldn't be a Reverend Curtis Black novel without the reverend appearing. One of the powerful sentiments he says, "there are so many times when we've done things that could have been prevented ... if only we'd kept our faith in God." Can I get an Amen?
I read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
Order on Amazon
Order on Barnes and Noble
About the AuthorKimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Reverend Curtis Black Series. Those titles include: The Prodigal Son, A House Divided, The Reverend's Wife, Love, Honor, & Betray, Be Careful What You Pray For, The Best of Everything, Sin No More, Love & Lies, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of A Good Thing, and Casting the First Stone. Kimberla also has 10 standalone titles: A Christmas Prayer, The Perfect Marriage, Secret Obsession, A Deep Dark Secret, One in A Million, Changing Faces, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Here & Now, and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois. Web Site: kimroby.com, Facebook: facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby, Twitter: twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby
April 30, 2015
Welcome Tianna Bunnell-Mumford
I WON’T CHANGE MY HAIR AT ALL
&
KOOL MINDS FOR GIRLS
About the AuthorTiana Bunnell-Mumford is the creator of Beauty Beyond the Eyes Mentoring Program, interactive workshops designed to equip young children and teens to believe they can succeed, believe in themselves, be bright in their thinking and be bold in their creativity.Bunnell-Mumford is a freelance writer, teacher and mentor who has worked with children of all ages for the last ten years. She believes empowering children to be their best selves will lead them to success in their future. This is the subject of her debut novel, I Will Not Change My Hair At All. She is also the author of Kool Minds Journal for Girls. Bunnell-Mumford has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Assistant and is pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Social Work. She stands by her faith that young readers and adults will be impacted by the message within her books. She resides in Indianapolis, In with her husband and children. Social Media LinksFacebook: Mrs. Tiana1
Twitter @Creativemindz01
Website www.creativemindswork.com
About The Books
Title: I Won’t Change My Hair At All
Author: Tiana Bunnell-Mumford
Publisher: Creative Minds Work Publication, LLC
Pages: 38
Genre: Children Christian Fiction
Format: Paperback
Sometimes as little girls it’s hard to accept yourself the way God created you to be when there is so many other girls who have something you desire. Walk with me on the journey through the book to find out how four girls who came from four different cultures discover how to accept and love themselves.
Title:Kool Minds for Girls
Author:Tiana Bunnell-Mumford
Publisher:Creative Minds Work Publication, LLC
Page: 38
Genre:Children Christian Fiction
Format:Paperback
Kool Minds for Girls is an empowerment journal for young girls. It is filled with scriptures and activities that will help young girls with self-esteem and self-worth.
Purchase Links
http://www.creativemindswork.com (bookstore)
Amazon: (Kool Minds for Girls)Amazon: (I Won’t Change My Hair At All)The Book Patch: thebookpatch.com
\
About the AuthorTiana Bunnell-Mumford is the creator of Beauty Beyond the Eyes Mentoring Program, interactive workshops designed to equip young children and teens to believe they can succeed, believe in themselves, be bright in their thinking and be bold in their creativity.Bunnell-Mumford is a freelance writer, teacher and mentor who has worked with children of all ages for the last ten years. She believes empowering children to be their best selves will lead them to success in their future. This is the subject of her debut novel, I Will Not Change My Hair At All. She is also the author of Kool Minds Journal for Girls. Bunnell-Mumford has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Assistant and is pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Social Work. She stands by her faith that young readers and adults will be impacted by the message within her books. She resides in Indianapolis, In with her husband and children. Social Media LinksFacebook: Mrs. Tiana1
Twitter @Creativemindz01
Website www.creativemindswork.com
About The Books
Title: I Won’t Change My Hair At All
Author: Tiana Bunnell-Mumford
Publisher: Creative Minds Work Publication, LLC
Pages: 38
Genre: Children Christian Fiction
Format: Paperback
Sometimes as little girls it’s hard to accept yourself the way God created you to be when there is so many other girls who have something you desire. Walk with me on the journey through the book to find out how four girls who came from four different cultures discover how to accept and love themselves.
Title:Kool Minds for Girls
Author:Tiana Bunnell-Mumford
Publisher:Creative Minds Work Publication, LLC
Page: 38
Genre:Children Christian Fiction
Format:Paperback
Kool Minds for Girls is an empowerment journal for young girls. It is filled with scriptures and activities that will help young girls with self-esteem and self-worth.
Purchase Links
http://www.creativemindswork.com (bookstore)
Amazon: (Kool Minds for Girls)Amazon: (I Won’t Change My Hair At All)The Book Patch: thebookpatch.com
\
April 29, 2015
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED READ: The Ultimate Betrayal by Kimberla Lawson Roby
I've been a fan of Kimberla Lawson Roby for years. I've read ALL of her books. The Curtis Black series has evolved. I highly anticipate reading The Ultimate Betrayal, the latest in the series.
About the BookIt’s been four years since twenty-eight-year old Alicia Black, daughter of Reverend Curtis Black, divorced her second husband, the most womanizing and corrupt man she has ever known. Since then, Alicia has been dating her first husband, Phillip Sullivan, a wonderfully kind and true man of God whom she’d hurt terribly by cheating on him. Alicia has worked hard to prove herself worthy of his trust once more, and when he asks her to marry him again, she couldn’t be happier. But Levi Cunningham, the drug dealer Alicia had an extramarital affair with, has just been released from prison, and he has completely turned his life around for the better. Still head-over-heels in love with Alicia, he will do whatever is necessary to win her back. Remarrying Phillip is the one thing Alicia has wanted for years, but she can’t get Levi out of her mind. Alicia and Phillip aren’t the only ones in the middle of a crisis. Their best friends, husband and wife Brad and Melanie Richardson, are struggling to keep their marriage together. Workaholic Brad is never home and has begun losing thousands on bad investments. Or so he says. Melanie, who is certain there’s more to the story, is determined to get at the truth. At the same time, her frustration and stress cause her to eat a lot less, and she behaves in an extreme fashion. Alicia worries that she could be suffering from anorexia, but Melanie steadfastly denies it. Their friendship begins to suffer, and it isn’t long before they’re talking to each other like enemies. Fresh betrayal leads to consequences no one saw coming, and Alicia’s relationship with Phillip might not be the only thing that needs saving. But is it already too late?
About the AuthorKimberla Lawson Roby is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the popular Reverend Curtis Black Series. Those titles include: The Prodigal Son, A House Divided, The Reverend's Wife, Love, Honor, & Betray, Be Careful What You Pray For, The Best of Everything, Sin No More, Love & Lies, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of A Good Thing, and Casting the First Stone. Kimberla also has 10 standalone titles: A Christmas Prayer, The Perfect Marriage, Secret Obsession, A Deep Dark Secret, One in A Million, Changing Faces, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Here & Now, and Behind Closed Doors. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois. Web Site: kimroby.com, Facebook: facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby, Twitter: twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby
April 28, 2015
Hot off the Presses! Pay Day
Pay DayByReShonda Tate Billingsley and Richelle Denise
Book Synopsis One little ticket is about to change their lives. . . but is it for better or for worse?When the office lotto pool lands the winning ticket for four friends, each will embark on journeys that change their lives forever.After years of stringing her along, Terrance has reluctantly married his longtime girlfriend, Sheray. . . just days before winning the lottery. Now, that he’s a rich newlywed, the former playboy is dreaming of what life would’ve been like as a rich bachelor. When the money drives a wedge between them, Sheray leaves and Terrance learns the hard way to be careful what you wish for.Angelique has been overweight since she was young. Despite her insecurities, her boyfriend, Marcus, gives her his love and affection without reservation. When she uses some of her winnings to get weight loss surgery, her new body and new attitude gets her some new attention, and could cost her the man she loves. After twelve years of marriage, Janine’s husband announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. When she realizes he could possibly get a portion of her prize, she devises a scheme to keep it from him. But when her plan backfires, will she lose it all?Raquelle’s life has just been turned upside down when she’s caught embezzling money, which she started doing to support her sick son. With a boss bent on making her pay, Raquelle is facing hard time and about to discover there are some things her lotto winnings can’t buy…or can it? With a bitter former coworker lurking in the background, these friends are discovering their big payday will definitely change their lives…just not in the ways they expected.About the AuthorsReShonda Tate Billingsley
ReShonda is a former news reporter and anchor, who now writes books full-time. She is the author of 35-plus books and a mother to three. Her sophomore novel, Let the Church Say Amen, has been made into a movie, directed by actress Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah's Flava Unit, Royal Ties Productions and Bobcat Films. (Oh, and she did make my film debut as well! Look for her in the church scene!)Honored to have won the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Say Amen, Again and been nominated again in 2013. She is also the cofounder of Brown Girls Books, a boutique publishing company with over 20 authors. She is also a proud University of Texas at Austin graduate. Not only does she love writing, she love reading almost as much!Purchase Links www.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.amazon.com/ReShonda-Tate-Billingsley/e/B001IXU8YQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_17?qid=1429281735&sr=1-17http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/reshonda-tate-billingsley/3270575http://authors.simonandschuster.com/ReShonda-Tate-Billingsley/20412007http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/26317Contact Linkswww.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com/Twitter @ReShondaT
Richelle Denise
Richelle is a contributor of the Dating Game Anthology. The title of her story is called mixing business with pleasure. She loves to entertain readers with her style of writing. She is passionate about the reading. You can generally find her spending time with her two sons. Purchase Links www.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-Game-Stories-Search-ebook/dp/B00T5BSGKGhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-Game-Stories-Search-ebook/dp/B00T5BSGKG
Contact Linkswww.browngirlspublishing.com
Book Synopsis One little ticket is about to change their lives. . . but is it for better or for worse?When the office lotto pool lands the winning ticket for four friends, each will embark on journeys that change their lives forever.After years of stringing her along, Terrance has reluctantly married his longtime girlfriend, Sheray. . . just days before winning the lottery. Now, that he’s a rich newlywed, the former playboy is dreaming of what life would’ve been like as a rich bachelor. When the money drives a wedge between them, Sheray leaves and Terrance learns the hard way to be careful what you wish for.Angelique has been overweight since she was young. Despite her insecurities, her boyfriend, Marcus, gives her his love and affection without reservation. When she uses some of her winnings to get weight loss surgery, her new body and new attitude gets her some new attention, and could cost her the man she loves. After twelve years of marriage, Janine’s husband announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. When she realizes he could possibly get a portion of her prize, she devises a scheme to keep it from him. But when her plan backfires, will she lose it all?Raquelle’s life has just been turned upside down when she’s caught embezzling money, which she started doing to support her sick son. With a boss bent on making her pay, Raquelle is facing hard time and about to discover there are some things her lotto winnings can’t buy…or can it? With a bitter former coworker lurking in the background, these friends are discovering their big payday will definitely change their lives…just not in the ways they expected.About the AuthorsReShonda Tate Billingsley
ReShonda is a former news reporter and anchor, who now writes books full-time. She is the author of 35-plus books and a mother to three. Her sophomore novel, Let the Church Say Amen, has been made into a movie, directed by actress Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah's Flava Unit, Royal Ties Productions and Bobcat Films. (Oh, and she did make my film debut as well! Look for her in the church scene!)Honored to have won the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Say Amen, Again and been nominated again in 2013. She is also the cofounder of Brown Girls Books, a boutique publishing company with over 20 authors. She is also a proud University of Texas at Austin graduate. Not only does she love writing, she love reading almost as much!Purchase Links www.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.amazon.com/ReShonda-Tate-Billingsley/e/B001IXU8YQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_17?qid=1429281735&sr=1-17http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/reshonda-tate-billingsley/3270575http://authors.simonandschuster.com/ReShonda-Tate-Billingsley/20412007http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/26317Contact Linkswww.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com/Twitter @ReShondaTRichelle Denise
Richelle is a contributor of the Dating Game Anthology. The title of her story is called mixing business with pleasure. She loves to entertain readers with her style of writing. She is passionate about the reading. You can generally find her spending time with her two sons. Purchase Links www.browngirlspublishing.comhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-Game-Stories-Search-ebook/dp/B00T5BSGKGhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-Game-Stories-Search-ebook/dp/B00T5BSGKGContact Linkswww.browngirlspublishing.com
April 26, 2015
The Fine Art of T. Ellis
About The Fine Art of T. EllisA limited edition coffee table book by celebrated African American artist Ted Ellis with more than 100 illustrations selected from more than twenty-five years of art projects that pictorially documents African American culture.
About Ted Ellis
Fueled by his passion for his family and his heritage; enabled by his artistic skill and commitment to excellence, Ted Ellis paints “subjects that are representative of the many facets of American life, particularly, African-American culture and history” as he knows it. “I like to think of myself as a creative historian. I was put here to record history…all aspects of American culture and heritage. My sole purpose has always been to educate through my art.”
Growing up in New Orleans, a city known for its rich African American history, Ted was exposed to artistic exuberance on a daily basis. This backdrop inspired Ellis to capture the essence of the subjects of his childhood in their glorious, rich cultural heritage. Dedicated to his craft, the artist exploits a stylistic synergy, born in his childhood from impressions of his beloved Crescent City. A self-taught artist who boldly blends realism and impressionism in his work, Ellis’ masterpieces evokes nostalgia and inspiration.
Currently residing right outside of Houston in Friendswood, Texas, Ellis is an award-winning and revered artist who has been commissioned by well-known brands such as Walt Disney Studios, The Minute Maid Company, Coca-Cola, Phillip Morris, and Avon, Incorporated.
Learn more about Ted Online
Facebook: TEllisFineArt
Twitter: tedtheartist
Website: www.TEllisFineArt.com
