Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour with Vanessa Miller

Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour
We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card. Vanessa stops by my blog today to highlight one of her favorite female ministers.

Bishop Dr. Marva L. Mitchell is the overseer of the God’s WILL Fellowship of churches, a body of 26 ministries locally and in six different states. She is also the co-founder of Revival Center Ministries International along with her late husband Bishop Willie E. Mitchell. Together they established an inner-city ministry in Dayton, Ohio in 1998. At the time of his home-going in 1988, the church had grown to 1,000 members. Dr Mitchell is now the Bishop and overseer of the church that is now Pastored by her son Paul Mitchell and his wife Keisha, and under their leadership the church has grown to 2000 members.

Dr. Mitchell is the founder of Project Impact-Dayton and is currently serving as chairperson of the Board of Directors. Project Impact-Dayton has received numerous awards locally, statewide, and national including being named one of the nations best Truancy Prevention Programs and Substance Abuse Prevention Programs on February 24th, 1998 on Capital Hill in Washington D.C. She founded Love School which is a literacy program held on Saturdays to help inner-city children master many of their basic, social, and academic skills, and focus on the mental, physical, and spiritual needs of the community. She has recently founded an organization entitled Interdenominational Women’s Ministerial Alliance in 2006 with her sister-in-law Dr. Ella Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchell has written and co-authored many books; “Seize the Moment”, “Marriage Glue”, and “Manuals” to help with grant writing. After the death of her husband, she completed a book entitled “It takes a Church to Raise a Village”, where she challenges the church to take responsibility for the nation. This book has become a best seller and resulted in many churches becoming community minded. She has developed leadership training for churches under 1,000 members, and has traveled the world teaching and preaching many crusades. The many world seminars she teaches takes place in Egypt, Kenya, India, and Mexico. She has been featured on National and local TBN and has appeared on Christian TV in Canada. She has obtained a B.A. from Family Bible Institute in Baltimore Maryland. After suffering a massive stroke in 1993, she had to drop out of the Masters program she was in and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for her accomplishments in ministry. In 2009, Dr. Mitchell was just named one of “Dayton Ten Top Women”.


Dr. Mitchell is the mother of seven children, Willie Mitchell Sr. (Jaquata), Marvin Mitchell (Mylinda), Sharon Conyers (Cary), Paul Mitchell (Keisha), Monica Jones (Khon), Joseph Mitchell (Alisha), Miracle Troutman (Shawn), all of which are professed Christians and are a part of RCMI, and four of them being full time. Dr. Mitchell is a strong believer in the Family structure. As parents, she and her husband had made family their priority. They made Romans 2:28 the source of their life, and became more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!

About the Book

Yesterday's Promise

Melinda Johnson has always felt called to ministry. So, when her father, Bishop Langston Johnson, decides to step down after thirty years of leadership at Omega Christian Center, it seems only natural for her to take his place. But Bishop Johnson feels led by a God who has other things in mind, and to succeed him, he appoints Steven Marks-a man who is opposed to female pastors, not to mention the fact that he is Melinda’s ex-fiancé.

Feeling defeated, Melinda nevertheless maintains her position as the church’s Missions and Community Outreach Director. Frequent interaction with the new bishop incites bitter sparring-and rekindles long-suppressed attraction, which grows only stronger when Melinda develops a relationship with Steven’s precious daughter, Brianna, who’s still struggling with the death of her mother.

Can Steven and Melinda set aside past pains, forgive each other, and learn to love again? Or will their opposing positions regarding women preachers keep them forever at odds?


Purchase Yesterday's Promise by Vanessa Miller.

About the Author

Vanessa Miller of Dayton , Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying and Abundant Rain. To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series and the Storm Series. The books in the Rain Series are: Former Rain , Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. The books in the Storm Series are: Rain Storm and Through The Storm . These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.


Yesterday’s Promise is the first book of a series entitled, Second Chance of Love. Whitaker House plans to release the next two books in October 2010 and January 2011. Visit her online at www.VanessaMiller.com.

Tell Us About Your Favorite Female Minister


We invite you this week to highlight your favorite FEMALE MINISTER in the comment section below. Participants will be placed in a drawing for an autographed copy of Yesterday’s Promise by Vanessa Miller and a $25 Gift Card.


View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/WomeninMinistry.

Write Your Book! Free Workshop on March 27, 9a-12p, Lithonia, GA

FREE writing workshops don't come along very often, but there's one on the way -- Saturday, March 27 from 9 AM-12 PM. The event is sponsored by the Called to Conquer Bookstore at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (Lithonia, GA).

If you know you want to write a book, but just don't know where to start, this workshop is for YOU!

Inspirational author Tia McCollors will discuss:

• Book genres and categories
• Writing fiction vs. non-fiction
• Choosing premises and story ideas
• Understanding the craft
• ...and more

Although the event is free, YOU MUST REGISTER by calling the Called to Conquer Bookstore at (678) 824-1055.

** Join Tia after the workshop at 12:30 for a booksigning. Tia is the author of several faith-based novels, including A Million Blessings, The Last Woman Standing, A Heart of Devotion, Zora's Cry and The Truth About Love.

My Mother’s Child Blog Tour with Dwan Abrams

My Mother’s Child Blog Tour with Dwan Abrams


Are You In a Storm?

It’s been said that in life people are either in a storm, getting ready to go into a storm, or coming out of a storm. The longer we live the storms of life become more evident. The thing about storms is that we can’t predict when they’ll come, how long they’ll last, or when they’ll leave. When in the midst of a storm, just hold on. Don’t give up.

Lyric Stokes appeared to be living a life that most women could only dream of. Married to her college sweetheart, a prominent heart surgeon, she had every material thing she wanted. No matter what her husband gave her, Lyric’s unwillingness to forgive her alcoholic father hampered her happiness. She tried to mask her true pain by focusing on the baby she couldn’t have. She convinced herself that if she could give her husband a son, her life would be perfect.

Unbeknownst to Lyric, Nigel Fredericks, a deranged stalker had his eye on her. He had been watching Lyric and learning her patterns until one day he decided to make an introduction. Captivated by his charm, Lyric willingly invited him into her life and her home. Unprepared for what lie ahead, Lyric found herself pregnant and forced to decide whether she even wanted to keep the child she had longed for. Her decision places her in the midst of a storm and face-to-face with death.


About the Author
Dwan Abrams is a full-time novelist, freelance editor, and publisher. She’s the best-selling author of My Mother’s Child (the sequel to Divorcing the Devil), Married Strangers, Divorcing the Devil, Only True Love Waits, and The Scream Within. She’s the founder, publisher, and editorial director of Nevaeh Publishing, LLC a small press independent publishing house. She’s currently signed to Urban Christian, an imprint of Urban Books/Kensington. Her sixth novel, the second book in the Married Series, is set to hit national bookshelves in 2011.




About the Book

Lyric Stokes lives, by most standards, a charmed life. Married to Michael Stokes, a prominent heart surgeon, she has financial security and lives in the lap of luxury. All is not perfect, though. Lyric feels inadequate because she gave birth to a daughter, rather than the son that her husband so desperately wanted.


After an unexpected turn of events, Lyric discovers that she’s pregnant again, but now she has to decide whether she even wants to keep the child she has longed for. She seeks solace in her church, where her daughter also feels at home; but they can’t get Michael to join them. Disagreeing with organized religion, he has put his job before all else, including God. The distance between the couple grows further every day.


Nigel Fredericks has a history of stalking women. He’s been accused, but never convicted. Now he’s set his sights on Lyric. She’s at a low point in her life, and Nigel knows just how to take advantage of that vulnerability. Lyric’s life is turned upside down; Nigel is like a cancer eating away at her mental stability, her marriage, and ultimately, her life. Will Michael reevaluate his priorities and his faith in time to save his family?






Listen to an excerpt from My Mother’s Child







Visit Dwan online at http://dwanabrams.com/


View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/MyMothersChild

Cherishing the Un-Biological Family

Fifteen Years Blog Tour

Cherishing Un-Biological Family


Family runs so much deeper than our bloodlines and our gene pools. God places people in our lives that, many times, play a vital role in how far we go in life. They are an expansion of who we are. They’ve planted seeds in our past lives. They nurture us in our present lives. And they may even be an essential part of our destiny. But many times, somewhere between our past and our future, we move on and forget those who have functioned as our un-biological family. How unfortunate! We should not allow passing years to erase them or their godly deeds from our memory, and regardless of how elevated we become in status, we should never take on the mind-set that we no longer need them. Life often comes full circle, and if we burn those bridges, we have destroyed the only road that will lead us back to safety.


As I was in the process of writing Fifteen Years, my latest novel, I began seeing one of the messages unfold that God was teaching through this tale. In the story, Josiah “JT” Tucker, is taken away from the foster family that he’d spent six crucial years with as an abused child, and placed back into the care of his neglectful biological mother, only to be disappointed by her again. Despite the insurmountable odds, JT manages to rise above the statistics, and with a college degree and an executive title, he’s the picture of success…on the outside. On the inside, however, he is a broken man and a tortured soul, and he knows that the only way he is going to find closure and completion, is to find his way back to his humble beginnings. To the people who loved him unconditionally; the people who introduced him to love – and to Christ.


God often gives us un-biological family in the form of sister-friends, prayer partners, mentors, sorors, fraternity brothers, ministers, etc. These are our “foster families,” and they stand in the gap when biological family members fail us or just aren’t readily accessible. They take us under their wings, nurture us, love us. But sadly, when some people get to a certain level in life, they often push aside or otherwise forget those that God sent when they needed guidance and understanding the most. Instead, they latch on to what looks like “the star” because they think that if any road can take them to where they want to go, the one that shines the brightest must be it. But God often works His mightiest through those people that appear insignificant. Often times, the people we take for granted; the ones that we overlook are the ones that hold the key to our blessings.


Recognize and appreciate the blessings that God provides, and cherish those “angels” that He uses to deliver those blessings to you. They are your un-biological family; your God-appointed lifeline to your kingdom destiny.

About the Author
KENDRA NORMAN-BELLAMY is a national best-selling author and the founder of KNB Publications LLC. She is the organizer of Visions in Print, an Atlanta-based national organization for faith-based writers, and The Writer’s Hut, an online fellowship for African American Writers. She is the founder of Cruisin’ For Christ, a groundbreaking at-sea ministry that celebrates writing, gospel music and other God-glorifying arts, and also serves as a motivational speaker.

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kendra currently resides in Stone Mountain, George with her family. For more information, visit http://www.knb-publications.com/.

About the Book

FIFTEEN YEARS

Josiah Tucker, the son of a substance dependent and neglectful mother, spent most of his childhood years in the custody of the State, living in foster homes throughout Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of fourteen, he was taken from the foster family that he had grown to love, the Smiths, and returned to his negligent birth mother. Enduring the hardships faced while living with his birth mother JT manages to makes something of his life. However, fifteen years after being taken from the Smiths and at the peak of success, he finds himself feeling empty and at his lowest. When he decides to reconnect with the Smiths, JT finds his faith in God renewed and discovers his attraction to his foster sister.


View the blog tour schedule and read an excerpt at http://bit.ly/FifteenYearsBlogTour.

Beautiful Ugly by Sheila Lipsey

Imagine It! by Shelia Lipsey

My son has been excited about a change that is occurring in his life. It is a good thing too. You see, he used to be the type of young man that spouted defeating, negative words over his life. Words like, “I never get a break. Nothing ever turns out right for me. I can never catch a break.” Some of you may have said some of the same things. If you haven’t, maybe you’ve said something similar. I admit that I have.

Much like my son, the three young women in my novel Beautiful Ugly have some not-so-good opinions of themselves for various reasons. The opinions they have translate over into their everyday lives. Believe it or not, our words have power. We can use words to speak life or death. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." (Proverbs 15:4)

Praises be to God, my son has begun to speak positive things over his life. He has seen the fruits of his words quickly spreading because he has changed his tune from a negative attitude to words like Imagine It! He has begun to believe that his dreams can come true. He believes that good things will follow him.

Your dreams can come true too, if you imagine that they can. Imagine being a bestselling author. Imagine being a great doctor, lawyer, teacher, or parent. Whatever the desires of your heart, imagine that they will come to pass. Speak great things over your life and the lives of your family and loved ones.

Never give up, because you’ll never achieve what you don’t believe. Believe that you will receive that which you ask for. Speak words of faith and love.
Imagine goodness and mercy following after you. Imagine the blessings of God running you down, chasing after you to give you good gifts and perfect gifts. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Imagine It!

About Beautiful Ugly
Three friends with different struggles rely on God and each other to get by. Layla Hobbs has so much to offer, including a beautiful singing voice, but obesity and low self-esteem hold her back from life and finding true love. Envy Wilson has always been Layla’s backbone. But what about her own dark secrets? She won’t share them with anyone, and it’s starting to eat away at her from the inside. And then there’s Kacie Mayweather. Stricken with cerebral palsy, she’s had her share of men—five baby daddies for six children, in fact. But she’s never had one man to call her own. They’ll need plenty of faith and support from each other to see the real beauty that lies within each one of them and fulfill their deepest desires at last.

Win an autographed copy of Beautiful Ugly by Shelia Lipsey
Shelia Lipsey is the author of three other Christian Fiction novels. The trivia question below is from one of those novels. Leave your response to the trivia question below in the comment section.

** What kind of job did Chandler Larson pretend to have? Tell us the title of the book.

About the Author
Author Shelia E. Lipsey is a multi-award winning author. Her novels are available at most bookstores nationwide as well as online. Lipsey’s books have been called gripping, life-altering, memorable and realistic. Lipsey was recently awarded the 2009 Top Shelf Award for Beautiful Ugly by Black Pearls Magazine. She also won 2009 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Awards for My Son’s Wife in the following categories: Author of the Year, Christian fiction Book of the Year, Christian Romance of the Year, Best Book Cover of the Year, Best Fiction Book of the Year, among several other awards for her novels, Into Each Life and Sinsatiable.
Lipsey is the proud mother of two sons and the grandmother of three blessed young men. She is president of UCHisGloryBookClub.net, founder of Living Your Dreams Now a non-profit organization and MAAW (Memphis African American Writers).
Read an excerpt and check the tour schedule at

http://bit.ly/BeautifulUgly

Tia's Book Club Shout-Outs

I can't say enough about the wonderful connections I made in 2009, and I look forward to what 2010 has in store. With that being said, it's time for my book club shout out! This post showcases some of the bookclubs I visited between August - December 2009. If your book club picture is missing, it only means that we were having so much fun that we forgot to take a photo OR I've posted a pic of you guys before!

Pages of Grace Book Club

African American Women's Book Club & Book Babes

November 2009 - Write Away Workshop Participants

(Not a bookclub, but the picture of my inaugural workshop!)

Wine, Women & Words

These bookclubs aren't pictured above, but I also had the pleasure of meeting or speaking via phone chat with The Daughters of Destiny, Athens Professional Women, Between the Pages Book Club, Black PEARLS, Healthy Hearts, Women of Character, Jerusalem House, Chavis New Book Lovers, Book Talk Book Club, God's Girls, and Do Something Different.

Thanks for all of your support! Readers make the literary world go around!

Introducing SECRETS AND LIES by Rhonda McKnight

I'm so delighted to feature my girl, Rhonda McKnight. We started out together years ago when we were in a writing and critique group. Back then, having a book published was our dream. Thank God that He brought our visions to reality. And just so you know..it seems like I've been waiting forever for this book to come out! Love ya, Rhonda!

About the Book
Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it’s truly in God’s will for them to stay married.

Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?

About the Author
Rhonda McKnight owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today (www.urbanchristianfictiontoday.com ), a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction. She’s also the vice president of the Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she’s called Atlanta, Georgia home for almost twelve years.

Rhonda, tell us how you came up with the idea for this story? I woke up one morning and these people were talking in my head, or rather arguing. (LOL). I thought this could be interesting, turned on the creativity, and came up with the “issues” in their marriage. I also did a lot of research about heart disease. Jonah is a pediatric cardiologist and that’s central to the story. I knew absolutely nothing about heart disease before I wrote this novel.

Who is your ideal reader? I think most people will think my ideal reader is women who are married. While I think the book will definitely appeal to married women, I’d love for single woman who are thinking about marriage or waiting on Mr. Right to read the book. There is a valuable lesson for single women in the story. Faith chose to overlook a very important issue prior to her marriage to Jonah. This issue becomes a huge source of pain for her. Ten years later her ideal black man has her pulling her hair out.

Name something about the book that will appeal to readers? I think readers will find it appealing, because more than half of it is written from Jonah’s point of view. My informal research amongst readers has taught me that women readers love stories that are written from a man’s perspective. Like most men, Jonah is complex. He’s a love to hate kind of guy. People will love him because he’s dedicated his life to physically healing children, but he’s emotionally and spiritually sick himself. What a burden for Faith. Faith’s pain will have some folks shaking their heads at Jonah.

When’s your next book being released? My second novel, An Inconvenient Friend comes out August 1, 2010. I have a nasty little character in Secrets and Lies who gets her own story, and what a story it is. She’s up to no good. Can she be redeemed?

How can readers find out more about you? Readers may contact me at my website at www.rhondamcknight.net. I love for people to sign my guestbook and share their thoughts about the story. I’m also a complete Facebook addict. You’ll definitely find me there more than you should at www.facebook.com/rhondamcknight

Chat Kafe - The Conversation Experience on November 20 - Atlanta

Hi everyone! I'm going to be a special guest author at The Conversation Experience this Friday night with my buddy Kenny Pugh, aka "KP." He and my hubby have been friends forever so I know he's "good people!" Hope to see you there!

******************************

Join the Chat Kafe team, special guest authors and Dr. Alduan Tartt, as we take a dive into some of the thought-provoking questions posed in Hill Harper's latest release 'The Conversation.' The evening will be filled with food, music and stimulating dialogue featuring men and women like you who are seeking to gain a better understanding of relationships.

Reading the book is encouraged, but not required. Come out and share your thoughts and gain a better view of how men and women view the tough relationship issues. Bring a friend, co-worker and/or family member. You will definitely be enlightened by what you experience!

Tickets to the event are available in advance via the following link:
http://chatkafe-rss.eventbrite.com/

Date: Friday, November 20, 2009
Time: 8:00PM - 11:00PM
Location: Sheraton Gateway Hotel (Airport Location)
Address: 1900 Sullivan Road, Atlanta, 30337
Price: $10
Attire: Casual

Please call 404-333-1616 with any questions and/or additional information!

Kenny Pugh 'KP'
Chat Kafe Website – http://www.chatkafeonline.com
Twitter – http://twitter.com/chatkafe
Facebook - Add Kenny Pugh as a friend and join the Chat Kafe w/KP fan page.

Meet Ashea Goldson, author of The Lovechild

Ashea Goldson, originally born in Brooklyn, New York is a wife of twenty three years, a mother of two daughters, a grandmother of one, a graduate of Fordham University, a writer, a poet, a publisher, a reviewer, an internet radio host, an educator, and a co-founder of a Christian preparatory school. Active in the ministry, she is a dedicated member of World Changers Church International for many years. She has a lifetime of experience with writing which ranges from being published in local newspapers, magazines, and online publications to full length books.

Her first Christian fiction novel is The Lovechild, published by Urban Christian Publishers in 2008. Ashea’s short story entitled “The Kit Cat Trial” will be released in an anthology named Pets Across America in September 2009. Her second Christian fiction novel, Joy Comes In The Morning, will be released in July 2010, also by Urban Christian Publishers. She has recently released a non-fiction title, Resurrecting Vision: 45 steps To Digging Up Your Destiny And Seeing It Through God’s Eyes through her own publishing company.

Calling herself a kingdom writer, and passionate about this calling, she is currently working on her third novel, random poems, several short stories, a children’s book, and is organizing a literacy group for youth in her community. During her relaxation time she can be found hanging out with her family, snuggled up to a good book, or listening to gospel music.

Would you say you are an extrovert or introvert?
I am definitely an introvert. I am usually very quiet and reserved unless I know you well.

Do you like to cook? If so, what are your favorite dishes to cook?
No, I don’t particularly like to cook, but I do like to eat so I do what I must do.

What movie(s) have you watched recently that you would recommend?
That’s difficult because I haven’t watched a good movie in a while. I’m not really sure about that one.

Do you like books being turned into a movie? If so, what is your favorite book-to-movie?
The Color Purple

If The Lovechild was turned into a movie who would you cast to play your characters?
Makaeli would be played by Halle Berry and her sister Lisa would be played by Angela Bassett.

Which social networks do you enjoy the most?
Facebook. You can find me at http://www.facebook.com/ashea.goldson.

What's next for you?
I have a story, “The Kit Cat Trial” in an anthology called Pets Across America which will be released in October. My next novel, Joy Comes In The Morning, releases in July of 2010. And I am currently working on the sequel, Count It All Joy.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In The Lovechild, Makaeli Hunt, a successful fashion designer, has been driven far away from home by her family’s dysfunction. While living in Italy, trying to heal the wounds of yesterday, ambition becomes her comforter. When a family emergency forces her to return to her home, in seven life altering days, amidst memories of a tumultuous past, will one revealed secret drive her away from her family and God forever? Or will she discover what it means to be God’s lovechild?

Dealing with issues of racism, depression, self-esteem, drug addiction, mental illness, verbal and physical abuse,The Lovechild is a story of redemption and re-dedication, confirming our victory in Jesus Christ.

Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/TheLovechild

For more information about Ashea, visit her at http://www.asheagoldson.com

Meet Jacquelin Thomas, author of The Ideal Wife

From Tia's Pen...

Let me start this post off by saying that I'm about three-fourths of the way through the book, The Ideal Wife. There were quite a few times when I had to pick my mouth up off the floor. Jacquelin addresses a taboo topic as it relates to the "marriage bed," and I can't wait to see what happens as I pull back the sheets on the rest of the story (gotta read the book to get that pun!). Now, on to business...

Jacquelin Thomas is an award winning, bestselling author with twenty-nine titles in print. Her books have garnered several awards, including two EMMA awards, the Romance In Color Reviewers Award, Readers Choice Award and the Atlanta Choice Award in the Religious & Spiritual category. Jacquelin was a 2005 honoree at the Houston Black Film Festival for the movie adaptation of her novel, Hidden Blessings. She was the first recipient to receive the Writers Achievement Award at the North Carolina Book Festival in Winston-Salem.

Although Jacquelin initially published in the romance genre, she decided to follow the call on her heart to write Christian fiction because she seeks to write books that will touch your heart and uplift your spirits with tales of characters who yearn to have an intimate relationship with God. Committed to writing books that glorify God and her growing teen audience, Jacquelin published the first of her Young Adult Inspirational Fiction series titled Simply Divine in October 2006. Her second book in the series, Divine Confidential was nominated for a 2008 NAACP Image Award. She has since gone on to publish two more books in the series. When asked why she is so passionate about writing teen novels, Thomas shares that teens are confronted with so much—sex, drugs, violence and abuse, physically and mentally. They need to not only listen to what the world says about these things but also to what the Bible says.

Jacquelin is a member of the National Writers Union, Romance Writers of America and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She is happily married to her best friend and is the proud mother of three children. Jacquelin and her family live in North Carolina.


ABOUT THE BOOK
Jana Collins loves her husband with all her heart. But what if love isn’t enough?
Marrying a handsome, wealthy lawyer and living in a Hollywood Hills mansion . . . it’s a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana, from the moment Lawrence Collins swept her off her feet and into his luxurious world. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, with a stunning body, Jana knows men like Lawrence don’t come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion—the ideal wife—to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price?

From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she’s not . . . and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation that goes against everything she believes—how far will Jana be willing to go to keep the man she loves? With her “ideal” marriage falling apart, Jana—the real, modest, smart, and strong girl who knows what she stands for—must put her trust in God, and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship.

Drawing from a moving scripture tale with an insightful message for women today, Jacquelin Thomas delivers a provocative and enlightening new novel.


Click here to: READ EXCERPT


Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/TheIdealWife.
For more information about Jacquelin, visit her at http://www.jacquelinthomas.com/

Write Away Workshop - November 7 - Atlanta, GA

"Write Away Workshop"
Saturday, November 7, 2009
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Location: 2191 Northlake Pkwy, Ste 160. Tucker, GA 30084
(Northlake Business Park, Bldg. #11 - Joy of Faith Ministries)

* * * * * * * * * *

Don't wait to add "work on my book" to your list of New Year's resolutions. It's time for you to get focused and work on it "write away"!

Join best-selling, inspirational author Tia McCollors and God's Elect Ladies, Inc.

for a Christian-based writing workshop.

You will learn about:
Getting Started
Overcoming obstacles & struggles
Success strategies and tips to stay on task
Setting goals
Determining whether to write fiction or non-fiction and choosing the appropriate genre
Building a plot or organizing your ideas
Researching publishing houses and submission guides
Finding and working with an agent
Crafting a book proposal
Book marketing ideas
...and more

REGISTER TODAY for $40.00

Please note:
The $40.00 investment includes continental breakfast, boxed lunch and workshop materials.

STEPS TO REGISTER:

* Go to Paypal.com to pay your registration fee on-line (Just click on the link above).

* Once payment is received, you will be emailed the registration form to complete and return via email to Write_Away_Workshop@yahoo.com.

* Print your receipt/confirmation page from paypal.com and bring with you to the workshop.

** Late registration fee is $50.00 after November 1. CASH ONLY payments are accepted at door for registrations after November. Absolutely no refunds after November 1.

QUESTIONS?

Email: Write_Away_Workshop@yahoo.com or contact Toni Parker with God's Elect Ladies, Inc. at (770) 335-6277

Meet Vanessa Miller, author of Forsaken

Vanessa Miller of Dayton , Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying and Abundant Rain.

To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series and the Storm Series. The books in the Rain Series are: Former Rain, Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. The books in the Storm Series are: Rain Storm and Through the Storm. These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.

FORSAKEN is Vanessa’s newest book, due out in October 2009. Forsaken is the story of a fallen pastor’s journey back to God. Vanessa believes that each of her books will touch readers across the country in a special way. It is, after all her God-given destiny to write novels that bring deliverance to God’s people.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Pastor Jerome Tyler “JT” Thomas is charismatic behind the pulpit, charming to all he comes in contact with, and lethal to those who linger too long. Since the age of twenty-two, when he prayed for God to keep him out of prison, JT knew he would preach the gospel. Bishop Turner makes it possible; but there are strings attached, and now JT isn’t sure he can stay tied down.

Cutting loose causes more problems than JT anticipated. When an old friend from his days on the streets resurfaces and his extracurricular activity comes knocking on his front door, JT’s life and the lives of those close to him spiral out of control. Now he will need divine intervention to make things right. But how much help can a man hope to receive when he feels he’s been forsaken by God?

Follow the blog tour at

http://bit.ly/Forsaken.
For more information about Vanessa, visit her at http://www.vanessamiller.com/.

Meet LaCricia A'ngelle, author of Girl, Naw

LaCricia A'ngelle is a licensed Evangelist, writer, and the President and CEO of His Pen Publishing, LLC. A native of Chicago, LaCricia currently resides in Tennessee wit her four children. Girl, Naw! is her first novel.

Her writing career began when she was a child writing songs and short stories. LaCricia has always had a God given gift of putting words together.

As a Christian Fiction author, LaCricia not only writes for entertainment, but she also writes for ministry. Her goal in every piece of written work is to draw someone closer to Christ. The characters face real situations. LaCricia writes so that anyone can read her work and get something out of it, whether they are young or old. When you read a LaCricia A'ngelle original prepare to laugh, cry, pray, and stop to say "hmmm."

ABOUT THE BOOK
Antoinette Walker has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those that know and respect her think she has it all, a wonderful husband, children that thrive in school, and a counseling practice that is growing by leaps and bounds. When hidden things from her past begin to surface, they threatened to destroy everything Antoinette loves. Only God can give her the strength to continue to counsel other women as she struggles with her own issues of forgiveness. Will her faith be strong enough to help her stand in the midst of opposition?

READ EXCERPT
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/9655517/Girl-Naw!-by-LaCricia-Angelle-(excerpt)

WATCH BOOK TRAILER





Follow the blog tour at http://bit.ly/GirlNaw

For more information about LaCricia, visit her at http://lacriciaangelle.com/

Book Club Shout Outs!

I absolutely love going to book club discussions. Even when I can't be there in person, I cherish the times of our chats via phone or Skype. Then there are those who I don't know have even read my books until they drop me an email letting me know what a blast they had!

Sometimes my discussion with book clubs are like those heart-to-heart salon chats, minus the relaxer, deep conditioners, hair dryers and ceramic iron presses!

So here's my shout out to the book clubs that I've recently connected with in some way over the last month or so...

Do Something Different Book Club

Phenomenal Women of God

Black P.E.A.R.L.S.

Righteous Readers

Contest Winners - The Last Woman Standing Blog Tour

Okay, so this picture has absolutely nothing to do with the blog tour contests, but it's a pic of the pair of shoes I wore to the book release party for The Last Woman Standing! I think they might give the shoes on the front of the book a run for its money. What do you think? Now on to the real business.

Drum Roll Please....

The winners of The Last Woman Standing Blog Tour contest are listed below. Included are names, the blog where the correct answers/comments to the trivia questions were posted, and the prize won. The winners were drawn randomly out of all correct answers during the blog tour week.

1. Tangie, Urban Christian Fiction Today - Winner's choice of $5 gift card to Smoothie King or Panera Bread

2. Renee Williams, Urban Christian Fiction Today - $5 Chick-Fil-A gift card

3. Linda Chavis, APOOO --$10 Borders Gift Card

4. Val, SORMag -- Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing

5. DM, APOOO -- Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing

Oh yeah, I bet you want to know the answers to those trivia questions.

1. What's the name of Belinda's daughter (from Zora's Cry & The Truth About Love)? -- Hannah

2. What's Zora Bridgeforth Field's profession? -- High school guidance counselor

3. In A Heart of Devotion, Sherri Dawson started her own line of clothing for petite women. What was the name of it? -- Short Ragz

4. In The Last Woman Standing, where did Sheila meet her boyfriend, Ace? -- A restaurant in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

5. Tia participates in an annual tour with six other Christian authors. What's the name of the tour? -- The Anointed Authors On Tour

6. Tia is blessed with the gift of writing, but if she could choose another gift to add to that what would it be? -- Singing!

7. What's Tia's favorite cuisine? -- Italian! (Mamma Mia!)

8. Name at least one of Tia's speaking topics. (Okay, you'll have to go to my website for that!)

9. Tia uses an acronym (D.E.V.O.T.I.O.N) to encourage aspiring writers. What does the "I" represent? -- Invest in your dream. Inspire yourself.

10. What is the name of Monet Sullivan's long-time (but unequally yoked) love interest in Zora's Cry? -- Bryce Coleman

Presenting Angela Benson & Sins of the Father Blog Tour

Angela Benson's numerous novels include the Christy-Award-nominated Awakening Mercy, the Essence-bestselling The Amen Sisters, and Up Pops the Devil. Currently an associate professor at The University of Alabama, she lives in Northport, AL.

Angela stops by Tia's Pen during her Sins of the Father Blog Tour to share a bit of encouragement.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. -- Romans 8:28, New Living Translation

This verse from Paul's letter eto the church at Rome has always been one of my favorites. It's an all-purpose verse that I can bring to remembrance when I'm in need of comfort and encouragement. It's also a verse that I oten share with others when they need encouragement.

I see this verse at work in the life of Abraham Martin, one of the main characters in Sins of the Father. Abraham made wrong choices in his life that negatviely affected him and those he loved. And though he tried to make things right, he was unable to set them back the way they were supposed to be.

The essence of Romans 8:28 is that even though we can't always make our wrongs right, if we trust God, He can use our wrongs to bring about good things in us. In Abraham's case, God taught him that the money he valued so much meant very little compared to the love and life of his family.

Abraham is not alone in making a mess of his life and the lives of those he loves. Many of us are in that situation now. Like Abraham, we have to try and make amends. And like Abraham, we have to accept that our efforts might not yield the results we want. Our comfort is in the knowledge that God will use our mess to teach us a lesson that will make our lives richer and our futures brighter.

Prayer: Father God, I've strayed from the path you planned for me and I want to get back on track. Give me the courage to make amends and the strength to accept the consequences of my actions. I thank you that even though I went wrong, the legacy of my wrongs will be a renewed experience of you, your love, and your forgiveness.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Successful media mogul Abraham Martin has great wealth, an elegant wife, Saralyn, and a rebellious son, Isaac. He also has a secret: a second family that no one knows about. Now, after thirty years -- driven by the urging of his long dormant conscience -- Abraham is determined to do the righth thing by finally bringing his illegitimate children into light...and into the family fold.

But beautiful, manipulative Saralyn will never accept the proof of her husband's indiscretions. Isaac the heir, shaken by his father's revelations, will fight mercilessly when his world is threatened, and may lose everything that matters as a result. And while Abraham's forgotten daughter, Deborah, is open to the undreamed-of possibilities suddenly awaiting her son Michael, cannot forgive the man who cruelly abandoned them to near poverty. And he's driven by one desire: revenge!

Angela Benson's Sins of the Father is a powerful story of a house bitterly divided -- a rich, multilayered family saga of betrayal and redemption, rage and compassion, faith, forgiveness, and ultimately, love.

Follow the blog tour at: http://bitly.com/SinsoftheFather.

For more information abot Angela, visit her at http://www.angelabenson.com/.

Maurice Gray: Taking Ownership

Content provided by Linda Beed

As writers we set our focus on goals that we believe are attainable, we then set out to construct a plan to bring our aspiration to fruition. If we are not careful, without knowing it we allow the process of writing, publishing and promoting to own us rather than taking ownership of the ministry tool it was meant to be.

As an independent publisher Maurice learned early on that the process of writing and publishing a book could not be done in a vacuum; nor would it be without those casting doubt on his choice of independence.

Negative remarks increased as he remained faithful to the decision he made in a world where having the term self-published attached to your work automatically categorized you as a literary pariah. In the midst of it all Maurice pressed through connecting with seasoned authors and industry professionals for the purpose of being mentored.

What is admirable about Maurice’ journey through the highs and lows of the business is that he never believed that he could not publish his work. He did not believe that he could do it alone. He did not believe that he should continue to grow in skill and knowledge. Most of all he did not believe that he should keep pearls of wisdom passed on to him, to himself.

Through his naturally giving nature author Maurice Gray has found a happy balance between publishing and giving back. Maurice has been the quiet force that has nurtured many novice authors toward publication excellence. His calm demeanor, penchant for humor and fund of knowledge for both the editorial and business side of the craft has been invaluable to many.

To date Maurice has published two novels (To Whom Much Is Given and All Things Work Together) through his publishing company. His third novel – Female Problems releases in 2010. Known to lend a hand to others Maurice has contributed to two successful anthologies (Traveling Mercies in Blessed Assurance [2005]). His current entry is Long Term in the June 2009 The Soul of a Man release from Peace in the Storm Publishing. He is also the ‘as told to’ co-author of Livingston Lee’s – I Really Didn't Mean To Get HIV.

Determination to fulfill the vision he saw many years ago has kept him going. Rather than allowing publishing to own him, Maurice has taken ownership of his literary talents. That ownership has turned into a gift that others benefit from opening as often as possible.

You can connect with Maurice on the web at:

Writevision2000@yahoo.com

www.mauricemgrayjr.com

The Devil Is A Lie

I know. I know. Even the title itself draws your attention. The Devil Is A Lie is the lastest release of one of my favorite authors, ReShonda Tate Billingsley.

Next week, I'll be joining ReShonda as well as Angela Benson, Tiffany Warren, and a host of other great Christian authors at the annual Faith in Fiction Retreat. This year it's being held in sunny (aka blazing hot!) Orlando. If you're in the area, or have been thinking about a quick weekend get-away, please check it out.

In the meantime, let's learn a little about the woman behind the bestsellers...

Meet ReShonda Tate Billingsley
ReShonda Tate Billingsley is a national bestselling author of 17 books, all published by Simon and Schuster/Pocket Books. Her sophomore novel, Let the Church Say Amen, is being made into a movie and national touring stageplay of which she is Executive Producer and actress Regina King is the director. Five of her other books, have also been optioned for film by CodeBlack Entertainment.

ReShonda’s literary career is such a success that in 2007, she was able to leave her job as a reporter with Fox 26 News in Houston to pursue writing full time. ReShonda has appeared on the Essence Bestseller’s list more than 20 times, as well as The Washington Post, Dallas Morning News and Ebony Magazine Bestseller’s lists.

ReShonda has won numerous awards for her journalism, fiction and poetry writing skills. She is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists Spirit in the Words competition. ReShonda’s upcoming projects include The Devil is a Lie (July 2009), Holy Rollers (2010) and two more teen novels. The Houston native and University of Texas at Austin graduate also serves as a freelance editorial and marketing consultant. She has ghostwritten four fiction projects and five non-fiction projects. She is married with three small children.

In ReShonda's own words:

Would you say you are an extrovert or introvert?
Extrovert, definitely

Do you like to cook? If so, what are your favorite dishes to cook?
I like to eat. I’ll leave the cooking to someone else.

What movie(s) have you watched recently that you would recommend?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I cried so much.

Do you like books being turned into a movie? If so, what is your favorite book-to-movie?
The Color Purple

If The Devil is a Lie was turned into a movie who would you cast to play your characters?
I would like Nia Long or Sanaa Lathan to play Nina, Blair Underwood as Rick, Columbus Short as Todd, Tamala Jones (she needs a job) can play Pam. And I can play somebody!

Which social networks do you enjoy the most?
Facebook, hands down.

What's next for you?
Holy Rollers comes out in 2010, working on two teen books and a sequel to Everybody Say Amen. Working with Regina King on Let the Church Say Amen the movie and in talks for collaboration with a dynamic author that I think you guys will love.


About the Book

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT. . . .
When Nina Lawson wins $16 million in the Texas Lottery, the real estate executive and her fiancé, ecstatically begin planning their future — from paying off their credit card debt, to setting their wedding date, to a spontaneous, spare-no-expense island getaway.

But when Nina goes to claim her winnings, she gets an astounding twist of fate: her ex-husband, Todd Lawson, shows up to inform he isn’t her ex —since the paperwork for their divorce was never officially filed. By Todd’s side, his money-hungry girlfriend, Pam – the woman he left Nina for.

MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS
Between her divorce drama, Nina also has to deal with relatives coming out of the woodwork to seek a payday for themselves. Before all is said and done, Nina must ask herself if scoring a fortune in cash comes with too high a price tag. With a little bit of luck, Nina will discern the real wealth in her heart, not just her bank account—or risk losing everything—to find out what matters the most.

Visit ReShonda online at http://www.reshondatatebillingsley.com/.
Follow the blog tour at http://bitly.com/TheDevilIsALie.

Blog Tour For The Last Woman Standing

Meet Patti Lacy, Author of What the Bayou Saw

List your published books.
An Irishwoman’s Tale. What the Bayou Saw.

Which book did you find the hardest to birth?
Definitely An Irishwoman’s Tale. Poor Mary, the Irishwoman, had to endure at least twenty rewrites.

Which book is your current favorite?
Goodness, Tia. That’s like asking a mom to pick her favorite kid. An Irishwoman’s Tale captures the forgiving, brave character of my best friend. What the Bayou Saw takes me back to the Southern roots that I love…and hate.

How would you describe your writing style?
I try to explore music pertinent to the text within my book. I wove Irish folk song lyrics into An Irishwoman’s Tale and tried to capture the mystical minor key of the Irish whistle and flute, the squawk of the cliff birds, the exhale of the wind. Perhaps a touch of that lyricism reaches the words.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?
Definitely! Billie Holiday and Odetta and The Eagles and B.B. King got me through What the Bayou Saw. Each manuscript demands its own type of music. For My Name is Sheba, set in Jazz-era New Orleans, it was blues and New Orleans jazz and the classical songs that my protagonist, Sheba, yearned to play on the piano.

Tell us anything about you as a writer that you think might be interesting or unusual.
Since running clears my brain of extraneous material and lets plots surface, I carry a cell phone along on my jog to call myself and leave detailed messages of writing ideas. I also LOVE doing research and don’t hesitate to call Normal police, sewage pipe fitters, DNA labs, and get right to the heart of the matter. In fact during the drafting of My Name is Sheba, I met a “computer geek” at a faculty party I attended with my husband and discovered that a novelist lurked inside that nice man. This geek just happened to be a Thai native who helped me craft the perfect ending (I think!) for my third baby. Thanks, Winn!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Write, read, write, read…constantly! Keep notepads by your bed, in your car. Live the lives of your characters. And whatever you do, write for the Audience of One, or you will never be satisfied with all the “junk” that goes on in the money side of the business. Write your stories as a gift to lay at the foot of the Throne. And that will be enough, dear writer friend. That will be enough. (P.S.: It helps to find soulmates who share this view with you. Accept their manna as often as you need it! And you will need it.)

Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing? For my first book, that was true as I wrote about my encounter with the Irishwoman Mary and our quest to find out the truth about her past. Of course we had to travel to the rocky cliffs of County Clare to see the place first-hand and to meet those neighbors. The setting for What the Bayou Saw was my own back yard in Monroe, Louisiana, but the image that inspired the story was gifted by a woman from Mobile, Alabama. However, I lived in the South for most of my pre-college life and got a few glimpses of what it’s like down there.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Segregation and a chain link fence separated twelve-year-old Sally Flowers from her best friend, Ella Ward. Yet a brutal assault bound them together. Forever. Thirty-eight years later, Sally, a middle-aged Midwestern instructor, dredges up childhood secrets long buried beneath the waters of a Louisiana bayou in order to help her student, who has also been raped. Fragments of spirituals, gospel songs, and images of a Katrina-ravaged New Orleans are woven into the story.

Visit Patti on line at www.pattilacy.com.
View the full blog tour schedule at http://bitly.com/WhatTheBayouSaw