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

Another senseless tragedy took lives. A man named Stephen Paddock checked into a Las Vegas hotel and from his hotel room, took aim on innocent people attending a concert. At the last reporting, 59 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. It is being called the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. But that’s not true. Modern America has a lengthy history of mass killings. Blatant murders that far exceed what recently happened in Las Vegas. Only a select few are acknowledged while others are swept under the carpet as if they never happened. During the East St. Louis Race Riots of 1917 nearly 700 black women, children and men were beaten, injured or shot to death. 700! White mobs set fire to the homes of black residents who were forced to choose between burning alive in their homes or running out to be met with gunfire. Others were lynched against the backdrop of their burning properties. In 1919, the Arkansas Massacre claimed the lives of...

I’ve been spending hours plotting out the last books in my Stallion family series. I’m also finishing the edits on the first book in my new ONE LOVE short story series that I’m excited to release soon. There’s been a lot of writing and even more researching. It’s actually been bitter-sweet. Bitter, as I consider the conclusion of the family tale that really kicked off my literary success. Since 2008, four billionaire brothers from Dallas, Texas found love, found family, who found more family, and more love, and now I’m about to age their babies and give them their own stories. I’ve spent the last few years aging the kids slowly with each book, knowing that this day would come. I didn’t want to have them go from toddler to random sexual encounters abruptly. Between now and 2019, there will be four Kimani books total with the last three about those oldest Stallion babies all grown up. And then the Stallions will be done. And sweet, because ONE LOVE, my newest literary venture is takin...

Less than ten minutes into the opening scene of the new Malcolm D. Lee film Girls Trip , starring Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, and Queen Latifah,  I knew the movie was going to be a roaring success. A comedy starring four black women who could string whole sentences together, didn’t hate black men, weren’t angry at the world, and had most of their “ish” together caught some by surprise. It definitely captured everyone’s attention. It was a box office success and the numbers don’t lie. What the movie proved yet again is that seeing multicultural stories brought to life is as important as ever. We are no longer accepting of history continually being whitewashed, or ignored. Seeing one’s self reflected in books, on the big screen and television, in a positive light, is life affirming. Maybe even more so when you consider the racial climate we’re living in today. Most know it. Helping others to see it has become just as important. Telling our stories, whe...

For one whole month I disconnected myself from my life as I knew it. I ran away. Literally. I cut myself off from social media, ignored friends and some family, and spent serious quality time with me, myself, and I. I crawled into my own private little space and I reflected on the past, settled into the present and reevaluated my goals for the future. When I started I didn't have a clue what I needed or what it was going to take to get me where I needed to be. But I had hope. Taking that leap of faith into the unknown was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a very long time. I needed to become reacquainted with myself. Life had thrown me some serious punches that felt gut deep and had knocked me to my knees. More times than not I wasn’t sure if I was coming or going. Depression became a real thing. I was keeping those I loved most at an arm’s length. I refused to let people in. I was scared, suddenly questioning my own mental health. I didn’t know myself anymore and I h...

My heart breaks. A family lost their father today, his murder playing out on Facebook Live. The person responsible blamed his failed relationship, his mother’s neglect, and a host of self-made woes on his decision to take an old man’s life. I’m not su re if his rantings were meant to solicit sympathy, justify his choices or if castigating his partner, employer, friends and family just gave him something to do as he contemplated his next move. And I don’t really care. What I think about this person won’t bring Mr. Robert Godwin back to his family. And I do care about the 76-year old man whose life was cut short so callously. The suspect is now being hunted by Cleveland police. I predict it will not end well for him whether he’s found alive or not. What he did was heinous and I pray that the repercussions will be far more than he can even begin to imagine. What he deserves should send him straight to the bowels of hell. The young woman whose name he invoked as he pulled th...

She was crying. And trying to hide her tears. I watched as she puttered around her kitchen, fixing plates of food for friends and family. I gave her a moment, allowing her to release the frustration that had taken hold of her spirit. I knew that the simple task of plating pancakes and eggs would allow her to catch her breath. Hours later, she said, “He’s mean. And nothing I do ever pleases him. I am beginning to feel broken.” I understood broken. I had invested twenty-eight years of my adult life to feeling broken. I’d sworn on everything I held sacred that no man would every make me feel that way again. She continued. “I have to hold back my emotions with him and I don’t dare cry. If I cry, or show my frustration, it’s a fight. Then he tells me I look foolish or I’m being overly dramatic.” I understood bottling one’s emotions to appease someone else’s issues. I’d been there and done that. “There was a man in my life once who wept with me when I cried...

So excited about the newest edition to my book family! Announcing the release of A PLEASING TEMPTATION ! Available wherever books are sold!       Can he open her heart to more than a fleeting passion?  An ambitious daughter of a close-knit Louisiana clan, Kamaya Boudreaux is making a name for herself in the business world, pursuing lucrative opportunities across the country. But when her best-kept-secret venture—an exclusive male strip club—is threatened to be exposed, the all-work-no-play entrepreneur needs to do some serious damage control. Her plans don't include giving in to temptation with sexy Southerner Wesley Walters, whose buff six-pack body was made for pleasure. As franchise owner of the high-end New Orleans nightclub, Wes is on the climb to corporate success. He hates deceiving Kamaya—she has no idea that her lover was once the most popular performer at his establishment and guests are willing to pay top dollar for his retur...

Dear Congress, You are truly a disappointment to those of us who elected you to represent our interests. Your continued support of individuals who are using the presidential office to progress their own personal agendas to the detriment of the American people is offensive on many levels. With your silence, your dismissive attitudes, or your grandiose partisan participation, you are committing a litany of sins that you will not be able to come back from. We are watching your actions closely. How you proceed forward with a budget that harms the poor, the elderly, and the disenfranchised, will not be taken lightly. How you reply to allegations of external involvement in our judicial system will be critiqued. How you answer the blatant racism and bigotry from your peers, and your response to issues that affect women and children and those who you are supposed to be speaking for won’t be forgotten. If you ignore the continued and habitual lies that our elected officials spew, ...

I'm very excited to introduce and welcome BOOK DOLL to my blog today. BOOK DOLL recently burst on the literary scene as the side kick to renowned author, Cheris Hodges . BOOK DOLL has been a bit of a mystery to many, but her growing popularity is quickly making her the next media sensation! I am pleased that she so kindly granted me this interview! BOOK DOLL, welcome, and thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Hi. Thanks for having me. Tell my readers a little about yourself with five words that embody the essence of who you are. Reading is everything to me. What are you reading right now? And do you have a favorite genre? My favorite genre is romance, of course. I get to read all the hot new releases because my bestie, Cheris Hodges, loves to buy books but never has time to read them. Right now, I’m reading SynithiaWilliams’s Full Court Seduction . If you had a super power what would...

Enter to win a copy of my upcoming release A PLEASING TEMPTATION and a surprise copy of one of my favorite romances from one of my favorite romance authors! Can you say HOT, HOT, HOT!! ENTER HERE!

THE DEADLINE FOR PURCHASING ANY ADVERTISING OR PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS YEAR'S DIAMOND LITERARY TEA PARTY AND DEBORAH'S DIAMOND GALA IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA IS APRIL 28, 2017. NO EXCEPTIONS! FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

With the election now over and the transfer of power, it feels as if we the people have been snatched from the pan and thrown headfirst into the fire. The months prior to the election were contentious enough, sullied with vulgar, repugnant behavior that had absolutely nothing to do with the issues. It severed friendships, caused rifts between family members, perpetuated stereotypes, instilled fear and left our nation severely battered and bruised. Barely a week into the new regime and it feels as if the silent war being waged against we the people has now escalated to a new high. Truth and integrity are things of the past, no longer relevant when alternative facts and bold-faced lies are shared like air. There are a few who still hope with time that it will get better, some who simply don’t care, others demanding we give chances they themselves adamantly refused to reciprocate. And many more still reeling from the devastation and unwilling to sit idly by and not do somethi...

President Barack Obama said farewell to the nation tonight. First Lady Michelle wore black. I felt like we were at a beloved family member’s memorial service. From start to finish, saying goodbye, was gut-wrenching. Like many, I wept like a baby. I remember when he announced his candidacy, my beloved grandmother shifting forward in her seat to get a better view of him as she watched CNN. There was a hint of doubt in her eyes, that a black man could even imagine himself being the leader of the free world. I remember her joy, as she shook with excitement, tears streaming down her face, when he was elected President. From the very beginning he carried himself with a quiet dignity that few others have been able to mimic. He personified the best this world had to offer and for many, to see that embodied in a male with brown skin, kinky hair, and a non-traditional name went against everything they deemed American. For the past eight years he has demonstrated immeasurable grac...

I didn’t bother with my Santa letter this year. There was nothing I wanted to ask the jolly guy that I haven’t already asked for before. Nothing that he hasn’t already heard from most of us. And I knew he had his hands full. This year has been a bear. 2016 came in hard, body-slammed most of us and seems determined to kick us while we’re down as it heads out. But 2016 be damned. I’ll be happy to see it slide right on out of here and I don’t need to wave goodbye or wish it well. Disappointment has been the benchmark for most of my goals this past year. I accept full responsibility for that because I've not been good about doing everything I know I needed to do to be successful. The writing took a turn that felt like I’d been sucker punched. Family issues had me reeling over and over again. I’ve been struggling both professionally and personally and I was past ready to be done and finished with it all. Just when I was ready to toss in a multitude of towels, there was a shi...

Big Daddy and I like to road trip. It’s our thing to do. We’ve been to some amazing places, met some pretty incredible people and usually have a great time. Recently, we were headed to Bunn, North Carolina. To visit family. It was reason enough to go explore and so we did. Like with most road trips we frequently stop. Sometimes out of necessity. Others times just to explore. On this day, we stopped because the gauge on the gas tank was low and I had to use the restroom. When traveling through rural areas of the south we are particular about where we do and do not stop. Only once in many, many years do I recall ever stopping anywhere that we didn’t feel comfortable. Most places, people are very welcoming. I have always trusted the BP brand. More times than not the restrooms at a BP gas station are clean and the staff are friendly. When we saw the BP logo, we stopped, confident that this time would be like all our other times. Sadly, it was not. BP outlets are neithe...

I am so excited to share that my first four books, published some 12-plus years ago, are now available in ebook, AND once again, in paperback. Many of you didn't d iscover me until the Stallions, but these four stories laid the foundation for what has since come. Books are available at Amazon.com and B&N and are sold individually and also as a box set at Amazon. I can't wait to hear what you all think! Kick off your weekend with a Deborah Fletcher Mello read. Enjoy my first four romance novels on Kindle, Nook, and in one perfect box set! DEBORAH MELLO RE-ISSUED 4-BOOK BOX SET TAKE ME TO HEART (Paperback) Take Me To Heart (Kindle) Take Me To Heart (Nook) A LOVE FOR ALL TIME (Paperback) A Love for All Time (Kindle) A Love for All Time (Nook) THE RIGHT SIDE of LOVE (Paperback) The Right Side of Love (Kindle) The Right Side of Love (Nook) FOREVER AND A DAY (Paperback) Forever and a Day (Kindle) Forever and a Day (Nook)

It's RELEASE DAY! And I am so excited about the latest installation in my Stallion family series. This is Nicholas Stallion's story and he finds love with the indomitable Tarah Boudreaux from the Boudreaux family series. I am so nervous because I love this story and I want everyone else to love it as much as I do.  It's not my usual romance novel, but it is by far one of the most beautiful, most incredible love stories that I have ever written. I am so proud of this book. From start to finish it just makes my heart sing! The PAPERBACK releases today. Ebooks will download on October 1st. Don't miss out. Order your copy. Order one for a friend. Tell a family member. Please! And then, ENJOY!

I received an email from someone who wanted to know who I thought I was. There were some expletives and the N-word was used a time or two. Seems something I wrote struck a sensitive nerve and she doesn't plan to ever read any of my books. Ever. But since she asked, I thought I'd tell her about myself. Rather than send her back to an original post I wrote once a long time ago I thought I'd just rehash it again for those who might be finding me for the first time. I wrote once before about a friend who thinks it is the funniest thing that I never drank Kool-Aid until I was well into my teens. Every time the subject comes up he is rolling on the floor with laughter. I can’t help but laugh myself because what family back in the day didn’t raise their children on Kool-Aid? Well, mine didn’t. My first experience with Kool-Aid was at a cousin’s house during a summer break. I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to make a full pitcher of drink from that little pac...