I Ain't Said Nothin' But A Word...

May you each have a safe and blessed New Year!!!!

I seem to get an unusual number of chain emails. Rarely do I pass them on. This one came from a dear, old friend who never passes chain mail on. I think she knew me well enough to know that this one would move me. Take these in and savor them a moment. Hopefully they'll move you as well. WISDOM FOR 2009 1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. 3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions. 4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. 5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. 6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship. 7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 8. Spend some time alone every day. 9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. 10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. 11. Live a good, honorable life. Th...

Eartha Kitt, the sultry-voiced songstress, actress and dancer who went from the South Carolina cotton fields to international award-winning stardom, has died at the age of 81. During her lifetime, Ms. Kitt, a self-proclaimed “sex kitten”, purred her way into the hearts of many with versatile performances that won her two Emmys and a third nomination. She had also been nominated for several Tony Awards and two Grammys. The woman was pure fire and ice, outspoken and unapologetic for her opinions and sexy as hell without even trying. She was the picture of vitality and I once heard her described as a woman who every man wished he could have and every woman wished she could be like. Don’t tell, but Eartha Kitt ignited my love of most things European and inspired my own deep, alto intonation and sultry swagger as I strived to emulate her grace and elegance. Many of our young starlets today could learn a thing or two from Ms. Kitt. She will be sorely missed by many. Goodbye, Ms. Eartha....

Well, I'm off to the North Pole to snuggle with Santa. If I get lucky I may even get my elf-fix on! May you each have a safe and blessed holiday and y'all know I couldn't kick off my Christmas vacation without sharing some holiday entertainment. I never get enough of the big guy!!! Drop it like it's hot, Santa Baby!!!! Just click the red button, enter your name in the little box, then click the arrow to start. ENJOY!

I use to give my kid a hard time for his obsession with the internet and the many interactive happenings that would inevitably put a stranglehold on his attention. Lately though I’ve needed to give my own self a swift kick for the time I’ve spent surfing the web. Facebook.com has become my nemesis. I’m sure most of you know that Facebook is this free-access, social-networking website started by this Harvard kid who thought Harvard kids needed a way to communicate with each other. Then he opened it to other colleges and high schoolers who had nothing better to do and eventually the rest of us old people joined in. I initially joined thinking it would be a great promotional tool to network with fans and friends about my books. It has, instead, become this absurd playground that I find myself continually drawn to. Currently, my most favorite thing to do on Facebook.com is FASHION WARS, a game designed by a company called Zynga. Fashion Wars is this fun, addictive, diverson that just enabl...

Okay, so you had a little appetizer. Now that you’ve whet your taste buds, let’s see what other senses we might be able to tease. My book, Love in the Lineup , featured wild child Roshawn Bradsher and the ultra-conservative Angel Rios. Angel’s a man who plays games. Roshawn is a woman who’s mastered the art of playing. Together, both prove that there are more ways at winning in life. Roshawn watched as he slowly sauntered in her direction. He stopped as he reached the edge of the dance floor, his gaze still entwined tightly with hers. He gestured with his forefinger, beckoning her toward him. Theirs was a silent conversation as Roshawn rose from her seat and made a path through the crowded dance floor to meet him halfway, her movements enticingly slow. The moment was surreal as Roshawn focused on nothing but Angel, and the sultry, hedonistic rendition of “Drift Away” billowing through the room. As she stepped before him, Angel placed his right hand against her hip and slowly eased her ...

Shannon was on the prowl for some male attention. Girlfriend had donned her slinkiest dress, got her nails done and her hair did and she was rockin’ some serious leg and cleavage. She was determined to get her groove on and have a damn good time doing it. Instead, she was sitting alone at her table, sipping on a champagne cooler bemoaning her woes to me. Shannon was having prowl anxiety. Guilt was spoiling her good time, big time. Shannon’s body language wasn’t giving off anything that said come hither. Her whole demeanor was screaming serious attitude instead. Shannon told me she had a man. But her man was busy with other things and other people and always too busy for Shannon. To hear her tell it her man didn’t get up thinking about her in the morning or planning how they might spend their time. Her man thought about her when and if he had a few minutes left in his day and nothing else to do with his time. Shannon estimated that in a seven-day week they spent an average of six hours ...

I love to share in other people's joy. And I love things of beauty. My brilliant photographer friend, Ross Oscar Knight has this uncanny knack of giving me both, his work eloquently expounding the full magnitude of the human spirit. His visuals are so overwhelmingly breathtaking that I am reminded to view this world with all of my senses least I miss the embodiment of so many colors and textures. As I may have said before, he does with a camera what I strive to do with words. Though we have never met, I consider Ross and his beautiful wife friends because he so readily allows us into his world, to partake of his experiences, and to share in his many blessings. He is also wise beyond his years and he just seems like a really decent guy. He brings me joy with the sheer magnitude of his talent and he makes it all look so darn pretty. Who wouldn't want to have someone like that for a friend? As you roll into your weekend, enjoy this Ross Oscar Knight experience. I know I surely di...

It has been a good week. Christmas came early and it was surprising and unexpected. I learned yesterday that my last book, Tame a Wild Stallion , has been nominated for the Reviewers’ Choice Award, Best Series Romance Novel 2008 from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. I also learned from my editor that both my Stallion books have sold out. Earlier this week I was in angst about my career and panicked about my writing. I was concerned with whether or not writing would help pay the bills as we entered the New Year. I was feeling like my so-called career was truly out of my hands and not within my control to know whether or not things would go well for me. Y’all know it was just a few weeks back that I was bemoaning the two year window that would lapse between my last book and my next. I understood that no matter what I thought I could do, all I could truly do was write and pray. And pray some more. Inevitably, the rest would have to take care of itself. And when I let go, Christmas came early. ...

Okay, so maybe you missed it way back when. If you did, here's a little taste. Maybe you'll be inclined to try the whole meal. On the menu is Talisa London and Jericho Becton, a couple working toward a common goal in a world where danger lurks in every corner. They find themselves swept up in a wave of desire that leaves them both breathless and wanting more. If you want more after your sample, please click HERE . I promise, dinner is divine and dessert, well, let's just say, love doesn't get any sweeter than this! This Wednesday's rewind is excerpted from my book IN THE LIGHT OF LOVE .... As Talisa turned toward the door, a tall man standing off in the corner caught her attention. His expression was pensive as he stood alone, knee-deep in thought. From the stern expression, his eyes narrowed to thin slits and his jaw locked hard and tight, the lines chiseled in his face, one could have mistaken his demeanor for brooding. But Talisa sensed that there was something...

GOOD MORNING!!! It the second and final week of the Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour and I'm up next with my presentation of To Love a Stallion at AllTheBuzzReviews.com. Y'all know I just had to plug my Stallion men with their pretty selves! So click here, My Presentation and enjoy. I can't wait to hear what you think. And don't miss the rest of the week with the other great readings. Here's the schedule so, please, show them some love and have a great, great time. Tuesday, December 9, 2008 - Farrah Rochon’s presentation of “A Change of Heart” in Holiday Inn at TheGRITS.com Virtual Book Tour Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - Stefanie Worth’s presentation of “Can You Believe” inHoliday Inn at AllTheBuzzReviews.com Thursday, December 11, 2008 - Bettye Griffin’s presentation of Once Upon a Project at TheGRITS.com Virtual Book Tour Friday, December 12, 2008 - Andrea Jackson’s presentation of Who’s That Lady at AllTheBuzzReviews.com Enjoy this final week’s tour!

I certainly hope you all are enjoying the start of the Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour as much as I am. Authors Donna Hill, Niobia Bryant and Dyanne Davis have brought some serious heat for your listening pleasure. I can't wait to see what the rest of the ladies have to offer. Here's this week's schedule. Dyanne's on tap today but if you missed Donna or Niobia, make sure you go back and catch up. It's well worth it! Just click here The Grits.com Literary Service or here, All The Buzz Reviews , then sit back and enjoy the ride! Monday, December 1, 2008 - Donna Hill’s presentation of Seduction and Lies (Mature Audience) Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - Niobia Bryant’s presentation of Make You Mine (Mature Audience) Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - Dyanne Davis’ presentation of “A Continental Divide” in Lotus Blossom Chronicles, Book 2 Thursday, December 4, 2008 - Gwynne Forster’s presentation of A Different Kind of Blues Friday, December 5, 2008 - Gwyneth Bolton’s presenta...

Many of my fellow authors are very private souls, introspective by nature and sometimes painfully shy. We are very secure in our aloneness, with characters of our own design, manipulating scenarios to fill our spirits. Too many have no level of confidence with the public personas that are necessary to promote the words we hold in such high regard. I personally marvel at the authors who run from conference to conference, beaming at every book signing imaginable. Not all authors can claim the talent that must shine when they step to a podium or are spotlighted out of a crowd. For many, the magnitude of their words must simply be enough. Writing is a very solitary art. Words come at their own pace, in their own way, and rarely can others move them along faster or maneuver a writer to get them out at a pace that is not purely of his or her own design. Writers spend hours in solitude with our words, leaning on them for nourishment as the moment moves us. And we can become addicted to that s...

The Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour is coming to a computer screen near YOU! All The Buzz Reviews ( http://www.allthebuzzreview.com/ ) and The GRITS COM Literary Service ( http://www.thegrits.com/ ) have teamed up to host the Santa Baby 2008 Virtual Book Tour headlining some of today’s exciting African American romance writers, December 1-12, 2008! This exclusive ten-day virtual book tour will give avid romance readers, and new readers to the genre, a chance to hear from ten popular writers about their new and upcoming book releases just in time for the holidays! This virtual book tour is inspired by the sultry sex-kitten, Eartha Kitt. Her Christmas song, “Santa Baby,” topped the charts in 1953 making her one of the most popular entertainers in the world. So we’re very excited to have her perform her chart-topping song just for you below (an animation produced by F. C. Snow) in celebration of this virtual book tour! The same sensuous mix that Eartha Kitt brought to this Christmas son...

Connecting with family over the holidays is always an experience. After a meal of too much turkey and more than my fair share of pie I usually walk away with a full stomach and an even fuller heart. This Thanksgiving was no exception and it reminded me of holidays past when I’d bake and cook for days on end to prepare a mammoth menu that would inevitably be consumed in less than an hour’s time. The difference this year though was I didn’t cook a thing. What remained constant was that the fellowship was exceptionally heartfelt. For over 26 years the ex-hubby never attended family functions. Correction. He never attended MY family functions. I can literally count on one hand the number of times he graced my family with his presence and I’d still have three fingers left over. This past summer at the family reunion, an elderly aunt asked me when I planned to marry. When I told her I’d recently gotten divorced she looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. The women gathered at her side had no re...

I don’t know her real name. She would seem to be a very young woman but she has clearly not aged well. She’s fallen victim to her addictions and her whole carriage embodies the difficult times and rough roads she’s had to traverse in her lifetime. But she has an engaging smile and there is a buoyancy to her deep, alto voice that you don’t expect. There is an air of antiquity to her face, like that of an old soul and that makes me think she would have an old name, something simple and elegant, as I imagine she could have been under different circumstances. I call her Naomi. Naomi walks the streets talking to herself. Her conversations always seem heated as she gestures with her hands, her head waving excitedly from side to side. Naomi never seems to notice the odd stares and deep frowns people toss in her direction. If you catch her eye she will be your friend, racing to your side to ask for a dollar to buy herself a meal. Naomi is always hungry and I suspect that what Naomi yearns for ...

Kelly and I were talking about being lonely. There was a hurt that resonated in her words and my heart when she asked if one ever truly gets over loneliness. We rationalized that loneliness can be a cruel companion if you allow it to be. It can wear down your energy and beat away your spirit. Recognizing that loneliness isn’t about being alone is that light bulb moment when you have to admit that you’re not only unsatisfied with the people in your life, but that you’re also unsatisfied with yourself. Getting over loneliness begins with learning how to enjoy your own solitude. It’s about being confident with who you are, how you feel, and what you want for yourself. It's also about knowing who you want to share yourself with. Both Kelly and I acknowledged that loneliness can move a person to look for illogical amusements. But temptations like drugs and alcohol only leave you numb, and meaningless sex becomes easy and empty. They almost always leave you unsatisfied, still craving so...

Ginger has some issues. At the age of nineteen she’s already a single mother trying to raise a young child on her own. Ginger recently left her baby-daddy, unhappy with their situation. Ginger left, barely giving herself twenty-four hours before jumping from one man’s bed right into another’s. Ginger insists she didn’t leave her baby-daddy for her boyfriend but hey, you know what they say about it looking like a duck. Her story is quacking all over the place. Now she’s confused and having doubts. Ginger proclaimed to the world that she might have actually made a mistake but it was too late to go back. I’m thinking that maybe Ginger should have thought about that before she pulled that other man and other people into her mess. And it has truly become one hell of a mess with battle lines being drawn and threats of war raging in the air. The men caught up in Ginger’s mess are both naive, believing they’re the best and only for my girl. I, on the other hand, know they could both do better ...

For those of you who are basking in the sexual revolution, getting your groove back or your freak on, be mindful. What you can do on the east coast of these here United States, might not be tolerable on the west coast. Did you know it’s illegal to engage in oral sex in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Washington D.C.? ( I’m sorry, baby, but we’ll have to move if you want me to lick your lollipop!! ) And don’t be getting’ your man all hot and bothered behind these here borders because it’s illegal for your man’s erection to show through his clothing in these states: Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin. ( Really officer, I’m not happy, that’s a gun in my pocket. I swear! ) If yo...

Most in my inner circle know that my tastes tend to be very eclectic. My musical tastes in particular run the gamut from old school to hard rock. It all just depends on my mood of the moment what might be blaring from my stereo speakers and on occasion there are some strange things blaring. Lately I’ve been keeping my youngest child challenged with my musical selections as he strives to keep my ZUNE player up to my standards. Sadly, one of my favorite performers, Miriam Makeba, the South African singer with the sultry voice that was at times like liquid gold passed away. Ms. Makeba was 76 years old and a true product of her environment. Her music reflected her experiences and it has touched my spirit many times since I discovered her some twenty years ago. She was banned from her home country for more than thirty years under apartheid but she persevered, building a phenomenal musical career that touched millions. Nelson Mandela has said in a statement that, "her haunting melodies ...